Ocean City community has mixed reaction to developer's plans to replace Wonderland Pier with hotel
The Ocean City library was packed Monday night as residents heard from a developer who described his plans to build a hotel to replace Gillian's Wonderland Pier on the boardwalk.
Reaction from the community was mixed over the plan to replace the pier, which closed at the end of the summer, with a hotel and resort called "Icona in Wonderland."
Developer Eustace Mita presented his plan for the hotel.
"I think that one of the things that we can all agree on is that we have to do something," Mita said. "We can't just leave it the way it is."
Mita also spoke about his ties to the seaside town.
"I love Ocean City. I raised my children here. I raised my grandchildren here," Mita said. "I wouldn't do anything to hurt Ocean City as a company or anything else."
He said the hotel will be 7.5 stories tall with 252 rooms and parking. The iconic Ferris wheel and carousel will be preserved, Mita said.
"I am actually optimistic. I think they need to do something to really improve the property as much as I have an attachment with Wonderland Pier," Steve Carchedi, of Ocean City, said.
"I think that people are confusing traditions with progress, and they want to hold on to traditions rather than talk about progress, and that's very dangerous," Bernadette Bechta, of Ocean City, said.
But not everyone was on board with the new concept in the family-friendly town.
"Bad idea. It'll destroy the neighborhood. It'll destroy the fabric of the boardwalk," Joe Lumpkin said. "You want a hotel, you want to spend 400 bucks a night, go across the bay and go to Atlantic City."
According to the city, the space is not currently zoned for a hotel. Changing the zoning will require public hearings and approval from City Council, the planning board and the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs.
This project still has a long way to go, as that could take months.
If approved, the hotel would take two years to build, CBS News Philadelphia has learned.