By Julia Train
In the wake of Ocean City Mayor Jay Gillian announcing the permanent closure of his amusement park, Gillian’s Wonderland Pier and 6th Street Pizza and Grill, there has been a plethora of questions about the future of the site.
About a month after the Aug. 9 announcement on social media, a public meeting has been scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 14 to address quality of life issues in Ocean City’s 2nd Ward, covering Fourth to 12th streets.
Although there’s no set date of closure, Gillian had planned for the amusement park to remain open through the second weekend of October, allowing those who purchased tickets to use them before the park closes its doors.
“I tried my best to sustain Wonderland for as long as possible – through increasingly difficult challenges each year,” Gillian said in his statement. “But it’s no longer a viable business. We will terminate our multi-year lease in a couple of months.”
Gillian’s Wonderland Pier, a cherished Jersey Shore landmark for nearly a century, has struggled financially in recent years.
In 2021, Gillian entered a partnership with Eustace Mita, Icona Resorts chairman and CEO, after the amusement park defaulted on more than $8 million in debt and was at risk of being auctioned off in a sheriff’s sale.
Jay’s father, Roy Gillian, passed away shortly after the closure announcement, adding a poignant note to the park’s closing chapter.
So what’s next for the beloved amusement park? It’s uncertain.
“The property is no longer mine, so I can’t speak to its future,” said Gillian, who still managed the property while Mita owned it.
Mita’s business operates boutique hotels in Avalon, Cape May and Wildwood Crest. Last year, Mita proposed to the city’s mayor and council a $150 million, 325-bedroom beachfront hotel on the Boardwalk to be built next to Gillian’s Pier. The idea was opposed.
The park’s iconic 144-foot tall Ferris wheel that towers over the island’s beaches is visible from miles away. The wheel contributes to a skyline that visitors and residents alike have come to treasure.
Sue McElwee, a five-year Ocean City resident and longtime visitor, collaborated with Offshore Drones and took to Instagram. The photo shows two of her four kids on surfboards with one holding a sign with “Save Ferris” written on it. The post was captioned, “Whatever happens, the skyline NEEDS that ferris wheel. #saveferris.”
“I never thought that would go anywhere. It’s just really become a part of our life,” said McElwee. “I couldn’t imagine the boardwalk without it.”
Ocean City 2nd Ward Councilman Keith Hartzell emphasized that while the Sept. 14 meeting will not specifically focus on the future of Wonderland Pier, 2nd Ward Ocean City residents are encouraged to attend to discuss various local issues.
Although Mita will not be in attendance, he is expected to outline his plans for the property in the coming months.
The meeting, hosted at the Tabernacle Baptist Church, will begin at 10 a.m. and will also be available via Zoom and Facebook Livestream for those unable to attend in person.
