Gillian’s Wonderland Pier hotel redevelopment approved in Ocean City, New Jersey

Officials in New Jersey have sparked mixed reactions after voting to pave the way for the redevelopment of a former iconic amusement park.

Gillian’s Wonderland Pier in Ocean City was a Jersey Shore landmark that has been entertaining families for decades. David Gillian founded Gillian’s Fun Deck around 1930. Roy Gillian started operating the business in 1965 as Gillian’s Wonderland Pier.

The park became known for its carousel, monorail and 144-foot Giant Wheel. It closed in October 2024 after years of mounting financial pressures, including rising inflation, insurance premiums and operating costs. Disruptions from the COVID-19 pandemic and Superstorm Sandy also reportedly contributed to the business’ financial woes.

“I have tried my best to keep Wonderland running for as long as possible, with challenges that become increasingly difficult each year,” Jay Gillian, the mayor of Ocean City and onetime owner of Wonderland Pier, wrote in a letter to Facebook. he wrote. “This was my life, my legacy, my family. But it’s not a viable business anymore.”

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“It’s not going to be taken away like we come every year,” said KR Watkin, a 72-year-old Pennsylvania resident. He told FOX 29 In that case.

“It’s actually surreal,” said employee Andrew Boyland. “I can’t believe this is happening. I’m saddened by it, but at the same time, it’s incredible the number of people who have come here since we announced we were closing.”

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Eustace Mita, owner of Icona Resorts, purchased the property in 2021. He proposed building a 252-room hotel on the site after the park closed.

Redevelopment of the now-closed Gillian Wonderland Pier is being considered. (Michael Bocchieri/Getty Images)

In a recent 5-2 vote, Ocean City council members approved rezoning the area as “in need of rehabilitation,” allowing the city to begin the redevelopment process.

However, the construction of the hotel is not approved in the vote. The next step in the process involves the city drafting a redevelopment plan outlining development standards before public hearings are held and additional approvals are sought.

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Some residents have said they are in favor of the hotel, arguing it would bring more visitors to the city, which is home to about 11,000 residents year-round and regularly attracts more than 100,000 tourists a day during the summer months.

Others expressed concern that this development would change the character of the boardwalk.

Community advocacy group Ocean City 2050 criticized the vote in a statement and criticized the council’s decision. “strategic mistake” This means “a stronger hand for the developer and a worse outcome for residents.”

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The city of Ocean City, New Jersey, has cleared the way for the redevelopment of Gillian’s Wonderland Pier, famous for decades for its 144-foot Giant Wheel. (Al Drago/Getty Images)

The group announced plans to join other groups in filing a lawsuit against the city, challenging the rehabilitation decision.

The group’s reasons for the lawsuit include “Council’s failure to meet legal requirements for rehabilitation, arbitrary decision making, willful disregard of known financial conflicts, and breach of fiduciary duty to the citizens it serves.”

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Ocean City 2050 said it supports a recent subcommittee report that called for “the use of traditional planning tools, not a rehabilitation designation, to address this site.”

The group said it would support a redevelopment plan that “enhances entertainment, respects neighborhoods, and preserves the iconic look and feel of our boardwalk.”