Ocean City's Planning Board Rejects Luxury Hotel Project for Former Wonderland Pier Site
A contentious vote by Ocean City's Planning Board has dealt a significant blow to plans for a luxury hotel at the shuttered Gillian's Wonderland Pier site, sending the redevelopment project into limbo once again. The board voted 4-4 on Wednesday night against recommending a zoning designation that would have paved the way for the construction of a 252-room hotel at Sixth Street.
The proposed project has been the subject of intense debate and lobbying efforts by Icona Resorts CEO Eustace Mita, who purchased the debt-ridden property in 2021. Mita had sought to rezone the site as an area in need of rehabilitation, a designation that would have allowed him to move forward with his plans for a luxury hotel. However, the Planning Board ultimately rejected this proposal, citing concerns about the site's suitability.
The decision marks another setback for Mita's efforts to redevelop the property. In December, city council had narrowly approved a request for the planning board to review the rehabilitation designation, but that vote was not binding. City Council Vice President Pete Madden, who has been instrumental in pushing for the hotel project, acknowledged that the Planning Board's recommendation is non-binding, but expressed his desire to see the issue go forward.
If city council fails to act on the Planning Board's decision, it could lead to further delays and uncertainty over the future of the property. The site will remain under review as part of a broader evaluation of zoning along the entire boardwalk. Mita has warned that he will sell the property if his plans are not approved, with potential buyers reporting bids north of $25 million.
The Planning Board's rejection of the hotel project has been welcomed by some local residents and business owners, who have expressed concerns about the impact on the city's character and the boardwalk ecosystem. Ocean City 2050, a citizens group opposed to the hotel project, hailed the decision as "a good night for Ocean City," citing concerns over the lack of evidence presented by Mita's development team.
The future of the property remains uncertain, with several stakeholders vying for control. Madden has suggested that city council could consider designating the site as a rehabilitation zone, which would allow for negotiation and compromise between the owner and the city. However, it remains to be seen whether this will occur, or if the project will continue to languish in limbo.
A contentious vote by Ocean City's Planning Board has dealt a significant blow to plans for a luxury hotel at the shuttered Gillian's Wonderland Pier site, sending the redevelopment project into limbo once again. The board voted 4-4 on Wednesday night against recommending a zoning designation that would have paved the way for the construction of a 252-room hotel at Sixth Street.
The proposed project has been the subject of intense debate and lobbying efforts by Icona Resorts CEO Eustace Mita, who purchased the debt-ridden property in 2021. Mita had sought to rezone the site as an area in need of rehabilitation, a designation that would have allowed him to move forward with his plans for a luxury hotel. However, the Planning Board ultimately rejected this proposal, citing concerns about the site's suitability.
The decision marks another setback for Mita's efforts to redevelop the property. In December, city council had narrowly approved a request for the planning board to review the rehabilitation designation, but that vote was not binding. City Council Vice President Pete Madden, who has been instrumental in pushing for the hotel project, acknowledged that the Planning Board's recommendation is non-binding, but expressed his desire to see the issue go forward.
If city council fails to act on the Planning Board's decision, it could lead to further delays and uncertainty over the future of the property. The site will remain under review as part of a broader evaluation of zoning along the entire boardwalk. Mita has warned that he will sell the property if his plans are not approved, with potential buyers reporting bids north of $25 million.
The Planning Board's rejection of the hotel project has been welcomed by some local residents and business owners, who have expressed concerns about the impact on the city's character and the boardwalk ecosystem. Ocean City 2050, a citizens group opposed to the hotel project, hailed the decision as "a good night for Ocean City," citing concerns over the lack of evidence presented by Mita's development team.
The future of the property remains uncertain, with several stakeholders vying for control. Madden has suggested that city council could consider designating the site as a rehabilitation zone, which would allow for negotiation and compromise between the owner and the city. However, it remains to be seen whether this will occur, or if the project will continue to languish in limbo.
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. I'm not sure what's worse, the fact that the site is still stuck in limbo or that some people actually think this hotel would be bad for Ocean City's character 
. Can't we just make a decision already? 
meanwhile we got 4-4 on the planning board and now it's all up in the air again... and good riddance to those who said it was gonna ruin the city's character lol like who cares about that when you can get a fancy hotel with a decent price tag? 
i mean i guess some ppl are happy about this but come on, if we wanna see progress around here we gotta step up our game... or just sit back and watch as Mita sells it to the highest bidder for 25 mil 
I mean, I get it, there are concerns about the character of the boardwalk and the ecosystem, but come on, a luxury hotel could've brought some serious revenue and revamp to that area 
. I'm all for preserving the city's charm, but not at the expense of progress. Mita's been pushing this project for years, he must be losing a lot of money already 
. City council needs to step up and make a decision on this ASAP 
remember when Gillian's Wonderland Pier was all the rage? back then, people actually used to go there just for fun... nowadays, it's all about $$$ and luxury hotels... 
i hope the city council does something about it, like Madden said... designating it as a rehabilitation zone could be the way forward... or maybe they'll just let Mita sell it to some rich investor who doesn't care about the community 
I think its kinda weird how some ppl are all about that hotel life but dont care about preserving the boardwalk vibe 
. I'm glad some ppl are speaking out against this project and demanding more transparency 
. Selling the property for 25 mil+ is crazy talk 
. We gotta make sure any new developments align with our city's values and priorities 
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. It's refreshing to see citizens taking a stand and advocating for the community 
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