Norcross Family Wants To Put $25M Into Redeveloping Ocean City’s Old Wonderland Pier as Community Weighs In

A $25 million bid from Philip Norcross aims to transform the former Gillian's Wonderland Pier site in Ocean City into waterfront townhomes. The proposal marks a stark shift from the property's amusement park past.

"As a long-time Ocean City homeowner who is committed to the future of the city, Phil believes there is a great opportunity to redevelop Wonderland Pier and maintain Ocean City as America's greatest family resort," said Dan Fee, spokesperson for the Norcross family, in a statement to NJ Advance Media.

Current owner Eustace Mita confirmed the Norcross offer while hinting at competing interest from Virginia builder, NVR Inc. The news surfaced just weeks after city officials rejected Mita's plans for a high-end hotel at the site.

City Councilmember Keith Hartzell raised red flags about zoning restrictions. "It's nice that an offer was made to Mr. Mita, but our zoning says that family fun and entertainment has to be in that zone," Hartzell said per The Philadelphia Inquirer.

Mita stepped in with a $14 million purchase in 2021 to stop foreclosure. His recent pitch for a $150 million, eight-story hotel with 252 rooms crashed into zoning hurdles.

The once-bustling park closed in October 2024, ending nearly six decades of Gillian family ownership. Former owner and Ocean City Mayor Jay Gillian sold after $8 million in mortgage debt piled up.

Since taking over, Mita's yearly costs hit $1.2 million. His total investment now tops $20 million. This past summer, the site ran as a scaled-back arcade with pizza sales.

Local activists, Ocean City 2050, shot down the hotel concept, pushing instead for their Wonderland Commons vision, a mix of smaller rides and housing units.

A Rutgers poll backed by the group showed strong public opposition to tall boardwalk structures. Any new housing would need approval from city zoning officials.

"We have to figure out what to do with the property by talking to the community," Hartzell said, according to The Philadelphia Inquirer.