The exact timing was unexpected, but it was not a complete surprise that Jay Gillian would announce the closing of Wonderland Pier, the amusement park that has anchored the north end of the boardwalk business district for nearly 60 years and been part of Gillian family boardwalk amusements for nearly a century.
The clock has been ticking since the beginning of 2021 when luxury developer Eustace Mita invested in the property after banks foreclosed on $8 million in loans for the park.
Wonderland Pier had been going through some difficult times that were exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions that harmed so many businesses in 2020. Gillian had negotiated with Mita, of Icona Resorts and Achristavest luxury home developers, to keep the amusement park open. When Gillian made the announcement in 2021 that he and Mita were working together to continue the legacy of Wonderland Pier, things sounded hopeful.
That hope finally faded, to the chagrin of so many generations of families who brought their children to the park over the years and to businesses, particularly at that end of the boardwalk.
On Friday, Gillian said Wonderland Pier wasn’t a financially viable business anymore and would close this fall.
A number of boardwalk business people weighed in on the closing, many saying the announcement was not unexpected and also worrying about what will happen to that end of the boardwalk and the impact on the resort as a whole.
Ocean City has been a resort with two amusement parks. Playland’s Castaway Cove is the anchor to the south at 10th and the boardwalk.
The concern among business people is losing such a major attraction. Ocean City bills itself as America’s Greatest Family Resort because to go along with the beautiful beaches and downtown and bay and boardwalk, it has the amusements that add a special thrill for the young and young at heart.
There is a more direct impact. Wonderland Pier has been the draw that brings so many people to the northern part of the business district. While there remains a big public parking lot between Fifth and Sixth streets and restroom facilities, that isn’t the same as having a bright, noisy and fun amusement park.
What Mita will do with the property is not known and will be the subject of speculation until he announces his plans.
As someone who builds luxury homes and runs high-end hotels, concerns arose about the Wonderland Pier parcel as soon as he bought it. It was a political football in the 2022 election when Councilman Keith Hartzell challenged Gillian for mayor, claiming Mita wanted to build a high-rise hotel there. It proved a losing issue for Hartzell, but after the election Mita did present a $150 million hotel development project next door on city-owned open land between the parking lot and beach.
That project was quickly panned and even Gillian said he couldn’t support it as mayor, although in retrospect it begs the question whether that could have saved his amusement park and added another anchor drawing people to that end of the boardwalk.
Hartzell did not waste time weighing in on Gillian’s announcement saying that because it is in the ward he represents, he would seek public input because the neighbors and community should have input on the future use of the property. That is presumptuous given it is private property, not public property.
If Mita wants input, that may be up to him.
How much any city entity or neighbors can get involved will depend on what he decides to put there and whether is it allowed by current zoning regulations. During that mayoral campaign season in 2021 and 2022, City Council worked to close a loophole and block any high-rise hotel on the boardwalk.
Whatever Mita does, expect it to be high-end. His hotel properties, including those in Avalon and Diamond Beach, are decidedly upscale. Achristavest bills itself as developing “some of the world’s most unique and breathtaking homes, resort experiences, and crème de la crème of parcels ….”
So don’t expect something modest. Will business owners, residents, public officials and visitors all agree what comes will be the best use of the property? Time will tell.
For now, this island resort waits for Wonderland’s final bow.
By not closing until the fall, Gillian gives families plenty of time to cash in their tickets, to get those last rides on the historic carousel and the towering Ferris wheel that acted as a beacon for America’s Greatest Family Resort when lit up.
A lighthouse uses its signal to warn ships from foundering on the shore. The lights on Wonderland’s Ferris wheel have had the reverse effect, acting as a signal welcoming visitors to the resort and residents back home. It will be a sad day when those lights go out for good.