OCEAN CITY, N.J. — Ocean City has taken action over deteriorating conditions at the former Gillian's Wonderland Pier property, where a collapsing retaining wall and concerns about the structural integrity of the site have added urgency to plans to demolish the amusement park's iconic Ferris wheel.
The Press of Atlantic City reported Tuesday, Sept. 22, that the city issued an unsafe-structure notice to property owner Eustace Mita after a portion of a wall caved in at the former amusement park.
The development follows Mita's disclosure that engineers have advised him the Ferris wheel must be demolished because of deteriorating conditions at the property.
The city's reported enforcement action represents a new development in the ongoing dispute over the future of Wonderland Pier, which closed permanently in October 2024.
While the property has been the subject of extensive debate over a proposed luxury hotel, the latest developments raise a more immediate question: What must be done to address the deteriorating structures at the former amusement park?
Collapsing Wall Raises Concerns About Property's Condition
During a Sept. 18 tour of the property with Ocean City Sentinel editor David Nahan, Mita pointed to a deteriorating concrete block retaining wall beneath an elevated deck at the rear of the former amusement park.
The Sentinel reported that the wall was collapsing and that the deck above it appeared to be buckling.
Mita also showed the newspaper cracks in the concrete surface of the property and described other maintenance problems involving the former amusement park's infrastructure.
"Literally, the back of Wonderland is imploding," Mita told the Sentinel.
He said the deterioration was particularly concerning because the amusement park has not operated since October 2024 and the structures have not been subjected to the pedestrian traffic associated with normal operations.
Mita told the newspaper that the city had inspected the property and given him two weeks to respond to concerns about its condition.
The Press subsequently reported that Ocean City issued an unsafe-structure notice following the wall collapse.
The precise requirements of that notice, including any specific corrective actions or deadlines, have not been independently established by South Jersey NewsBeat.
Ferris Wheel Demolition Becomes More Urgent
The deteriorating conditions have also accelerated plans to remove Wonderland Pier's approximately 144-foot-tall Ferris wheel.
Mita told the Sentinel that engineers had advised him the structure could no longer remain standing safely.
He said cracks in the concrete had not yet reached the Ferris wheel but were approaching the area where it stands.
The owner also described complications involving the wheel itself, including corrosion and previous repairs that had welded major components into place.
In a separate interview with Action News on Monday, Mita said the wheel could no longer be dismantled and preserved for use elsewhere because its components could not be separated without cutting them apart.
The Ferris wheel had originally been included in Mita's proposed redevelopment plans as one of several attractions that could be preserved from the former amusement park.
Those plans have now changed.
Mita told Action News that the wheel would need to be cut apart with torches, eliminating the possibility of dismantling and reassembling it at another location.
NBC10 Philadelphia also reported Tuesday that Mita and Ocean City officials are working to determine a demolition date.
No specific date has been publicly announced.
The property's former log flume attraction is also expected to be demolished, according to Mita's statements to the Sentinel.
Safety Concerns Add Another Dimension to Redevelopment Dispute
The latest structural problems come as Ocean City continues to negotiate the future of the former amusement park at 600 Boardwalk.
Mita, the owner of Icona Resorts, purchased the property in 2021 and leased it back to longtime amusement park operator Jay Gillian, who continued operating Wonderland Pier until its permanent closure in October 2024.
Mita subsequently proposed replacing the amusement park with a luxury hotel, a plan that has generated substantial public debate.
In June, Ocean City Council voted 5-2 to designate the property as an area in need of rehabilitation, creating a framework for negotiations over a redevelopment plan.
The designation does not constitute approval of Mita's hotel proposal.
Four community and civic organizations subsequently filed a lawsuit challenging the city's rehabilitation designation.
The plaintiffs include Ocean City 2050, the Plaza Place Civic Association, the Beach Watch Motel Condominium Association and Fairness in Taxes.
The lawsuit challenges the legal basis and process used to approve the designation. The allegations remain contested and have not been established by a court.
The city has retained outside legal counsel to represent City Council in the litigation.
According to an official city resolution published Sept. 11, Ocean City appointed attorney M. James Maley Jr. of Maley Givens, P.C., to provide legal representation in the redevelopment matter at an hourly rate of $245.
The contract has a one-year term.
The city's safety concerns and the pending redevelopment lawsuit involve separate issues. The unsafe-structure notice addresses conditions at the property, while the lawsuit challenges the city's rehabilitation designation.
What Happens Next?
The immediate question is what corrective action will be required to address the deteriorating wall and other structural problems at the former amusement park.
Mita has said he is consulting engineers and obtaining estimates for demolition work, including the removal of the Ferris wheel.
However, the full scope of the city's unsafe-structure notice has not been publicly established in the reporting reviewed by South Jersey NewsBeat.
It is also unclear whether the city will require additional structural assessments or other measures before demolition work begins.
The condition of the property could affect the timing of demolition and site preparation, but it does not resolve the separate legal and planning questions surrounding the proposed redevelopment.
For Ocean City residents and visitors, the latest developments mean that the former amusement park's future is now being shaped by two parallel issues: the continuing debate over what should replace Wonderland Pier and the more immediate need to address deteriorating structures at the site.
The iconic Ferris wheel, once envisioned as a centerpiece of a new development, is now expected to be removed.
When that work will begin — and what additional action Ocean City will require at the property — remains to be determined.
About the Author
Karen Johnson
With over 30 years of news experience in major markets like Los Angeles, Denver, and Columbus, Karen now covers our area for South Jersey NewsBeat. She also brings her articulate and conversational news delivery to WOND radio listeners every weekday. Her background includes work with the NBC Radio Network, and she thrives in fast-paced news environments.
