A reader writes in:
Right now, families, eager to escape winter, are working to secure their summer rentals. Some are discovering beach towns for the first time, others are considering a change and many are deciding whether to return to Ocean City, or go elsewhere.
This is also when shore towns market their best features—pristine beaches, lively boardwalks and family-friendly attractions.
Yet, instead of promoting Ocean City’s strengths, some individuals are neglecting their responsibilities—or worse, undermining confidence in the town’s future.
When Wonderland Pier — a critical asset in this family-oriented town — closed, the City assured residents that it could handle it. Officials said an announcement was coming—one that would address the future of this critical Boardwalk property. That could have meant conducting studies to determine the best use for the site, or outlining potential zoning strategies to ensure it remained a vibrant, family-friendly attraction.
The City could have addressed implementing temporary attractions to maintain foot traffic at the northern end of the Boardwalk. It was even given a list to choose from, assembled by its residents.
It could have taken immediate action to ensure the property didn’t become an eyesore, enforcing maintenance standards.
Instead? Nothing. No studies. No city-led public discussions about the best use for the property. No plan to keep visitors engaged. No leadership.
Rather than stepping in to shape Ocean City’s future, officials have remained silent—seemingly content to let a developer who knowingly purchased land with strict zoning guidelines, dictate the next steps.
And if that was not enough, they did nothing to address the false claim that the northern Boardwalk is “blighted” and needs redevelopment.
Even worse, Wonderland now appears deliberately neglected—decorative turrets hastily demolished, rough openings and HVAC systems sloppily boarded up with unpainted plywood. Is this an attempt to fabricate a “blight” case?
City Council must seize control of the narrative before Ocean City loses summer visitors to competing destinations. The first step is rejecting the “blight” and redevelopment rhetoric immediately. Redevelopment is for struggling towns and slums—not Ocean City. The best way to stop this falsehood is for Council to emphatically rule out redevelopment and enforce existing zoning and maintenance laws to preserve the Boardwalk’s appeal.
But rejecting redevelopment isn’t enough. Council must lead with its own plan that highlights Ocean City’s strengths and envisions a future that fosters economic growth for many—not just a select few. Importantly, as part of that plan, the City must genuinely explore the feasibility of a new entertainment venue, for two key reasons:
- The City needs negotiating leverage – Right now, the property owner holds all the power. Even if Council enforces Boardwalk zoning to block a mega-hotel, the owner can leave the property vacant and decaying. The City must change the dynamic by developing an alternative plan for that site.
- Ocean City cannot afford to lose the entirety of its entertainment – If Wonderland is rezoned for a resort, other Boardwalk property owners could follow suit, selling to developers. A row of soulless hotels would replace Ocean City’s family-friendly attractions. Without entertainment on the Boardwalk, Ocean City will have no claim to be “America’s Greatest Family Resort.”
The City also needs to double down on its marketing efforts to compensate for the loss of Wonderland, including promoting its vibrant downtown, its pristine beaches, historic homes and family atmosphere.
Meanwhile, City Council needs to push back on those intent on making Wonderland look abandoned and dreary—fueling their false “blight” narrative by enforcing building maintenance codes to stop the building from being an eyesore. This can also include adopting new ordinances directed at precisely this type of activity: where someone buys property and allows it to rot to secure some zoning change.
And the City needs to do all this now. In December, the City promised an announcement about how it would handle the upcoming season. Rental season is here, and we’ve heard nothing.
The urgency is real: Families pick their beach towns and stick with them for generations. If a family comes to Ocean City this summer, they’re likely to return year after year. But if they go elsewhere, they may never come back. And our Council will be to blame.
Jeff Saltiel
Ocean City, New Jersey
