The future of the old Gillian’s Wonderland Pier in Ocean City took a big step forward on Thursday evening. Ocean City’s council voted five to two in favor of designating the site as an area in need of rehabilitation. Negotiations with the property owner, ICONA Resorts, would happen next. The resort company proposed a 252-room luxury hotel called “Icona in Wonderland,” a plan which has since received resistance. Eustice Mita, the owner of ICONA Resorts had previously told NBC10 that he was on the verge of selling the property if council didn’t decide to designate the site as in need of rehabilition. “If it doesn’t go into rehabilitation, then it’s definitely I’m out. I have to be out,” Mita explained back in January. Mita’s company, ICONA Resorts, already has upscale hotels in Avalon, Cape May and Diamond Beach. New Jersey Jan 7 Leaders in Jersey Shore town split vote over fate of Wonderland Pier site New Jersey Dec 4, 2025 Jersey Shore town votes to send Wonderland Pier to planning committee New Jersey Aug 21, 2025 Owner to sell Wonderland Pier after plans denied by Ocean City council Ocean City Dec 5, 2024 Ocean City community weighs in on hotel proposed for former Wonderland site Jersey Shore Nov 26, 2024 Ocean City residents express concern over hotel plan at former Wonderland site Jersey Shore Nov 15, 2024 What will become of Gillian's Wonderland Pier? Developer proposes 252-room hotel New Jersey Oct 11, 2024 End of an era: Gillian's Wonderland Pier to close for good In Memoriam Aug 20, 2024 Roy Gillian, former Ocean City mayor, founder of Wonderland Pier, dies at 94 Iconic Ocean City landmark closes Gillian’s Wonderland Pier closed on Oct. 13, 2024, after entertaining generations of children on the Ocean City Boardwalk since 1929. The pier former owner and Ocean City Mayor Jay Gillian said back in 2024 that he park that’s been in his family for 94 years was no longer good business. ...read more read less