Shore developer Eustace Mita plans to transform the Wonderland Pier property with a new 7-story hotel, a revamped carousel, and a reoriented Ferris wheel, according to a report in The Philadelphia Inquirer.
The project, tentatively named “Icona in Wonderland,” would include a 7.5-story hotel with 252 rooms. Mita has shared these plans with City Council members and the Boardwalk Merchants Association.
The ferris wheel is set to be repositioned in an “east-west” orientation on the north side of the property. Mita plans to invest $1.5 million to restore the carousel and another $1 million to relocate, elevate, and update the Ferris wheel with new lighting.
Citing the lack of new hotels in the area for the past 50 years, Mita said his resort would bring an estimated thousand new visitors to the Boardwalk every three days during the summer season. The plan includes 375 parking spaces but notably excludes a liquor license application.
Mita may not need a zoning change for the development. Instead, he aims to have the site designated as a “redevelopment zone,” which would require City Council approval.
