09/08/2024
This a real blow to Ocean City. I mean, the ferris wheel is our Emoji in every email we send. It’s a noted part of the Ocean City skyline. In many ways, it is the Ocean City skyline.
Wonderland, itself, is Ocean City. There’s basically no one alive who has seen Ocean City without it.
That said, this isn’t entirely surprising. Wonderland has reportedly had financial troubles, and in recent summers rides were often down. Lots of arcade machines and kiosks lined the entrance, presumably in an effort to maximize revenue.
In 2021, Gillian partnered with Eustace Mita (owner of Icona Resorts) to help rescue Wonderland after it was reportedly facing foreclosure following COVID shutdowns in 2020.
Mita and Gillian later faced backlash as Mita proposed building a hotel next to Wonderland. Residents accused the mayor of playing favorites, and the project was subsequently abandoned.
Most interesting is that Gillian mentioned that he will abandon his lease. 600 Boardwalk, where Wonderland sits, was purchased by 600 Boardwalk LLC, based in Chester, PA, in 2021.
There is no name associated with that business, but the sale for $10 million was completed around the time of the announcement of the partnership between Gillian and Mita, according to public records.
We will obviously aim to bring you much, much more about this, including plans for Wonderland after it closes.
A request for comment to the mayor was not immediately returned.
But this is, of course, very sad news for Ocean City.
