STOP the Big Mistake
support a better idea

“I’d be a no on that. … not on the boardwalk.” —Terry Crowley (First Ward)

“Something like [Mita’s 2022 proposal] is an absolute hard no.” —Jody Levchuck

“I’m not in favor of high-rise hotels.... [It] is not permitted in the boardwalk zone.” —Pete Madden

“I’m not for the addition of high-rise hotels along our boardwalk or skyline.” —Tony Polcini

“If it’s not broke, don’t fix it. The boardwalk is one of our crown jewels.” —Keith Hartzel

“While I’m on the Council, I would never approve any changes such as that.” —Dave Winslow

“Absolutely not. That’s an easy one. —Sean Barnes

“I’d be a no on that. … not on the boardwalk.” —Terry Crowley (First Ward) “Something like [Mita’s 2022 proposal] is an absolute hard no.” —Jody Levchuck “I’m not in favor of high-rise hotels.... [It] is not permitted in the boardwalk zone.” —Pete Madden “I’m not for the addition of high-rise hotels along our boardwalk or skyline.” —Tony Polcini “If it’s not broke, don’t fix it. The boardwalk is one of our crown jewels.” —Keith Hartzel “While I’m on the Council, I would never approve any changes such as that.” —Dave Winslow “Absolutely not. That’s an easy one. —Sean Barnes

While running for their positions, every member of Ocean City’s Council publicly stated that they would be against a high-rise hotel on the OC boardwalk. 

However, since then, many members of Council have refused to affirm their promises to OC residents, and instead appear to be moving ahead with plans for a high-rise hotel behind closed doors, without a coherent plan or vision for the boardwalk, and despite local opposition 

That’s why it’s critical that OC residents contact City Council and urge them to keep their promise.

It’s time to hold
Ocean City Council
accountable to
their promises.

Here’s what five Council members said, in entirety, at the May 2024 Candidate Debate when asked:

“Are there any circumstances in which you would support the building of a hotel complex on the boardwalk similar to the one proposed about a year ago between Carey Stadium and the beach? (Listen for yourself here at time stamp 1:20 45)

  • “I’d be a no on that.… Not on the boardwalk.”

  • “If it’s not broke don’t fix it. The boardwalk is one of our crown jewels. We’re America’s Greatest Family Resort, the tradition is a family vacation. To have any kind of boardwalk development with hotels would take away from the businesses up there. Strictly, they service families, that’s what it’s all about. Any time I explain Ocean City, they say ‘but you don’t have alcohol’ and I say ‘no but we have families.’”

  • “This question is a lot to chew on, we are a tourism community. There are hotels in this town, there once were hotels taller than what you see here that are no longer here, a lot of them have disappeared over the last 20 some-odd years… so the responsible thing for me to do as an elected official here would be to be open to listen to what people would like to invest into our community. But, just as a quick look, what was presented to our Council not too long ago, something like that is an absolute hard no. But I am always open to listen.”

  • “I would be opposed to hotel development on the boardwalk…. it’s not permitted use according to the zoning. Any changes to make it a permitted use would have to be approved by Council, and while I’m on Council I would never approve any changes such as that.”

  • “Absolutely not. That’s an easy one.”

Here’s what two City Council members said when running for seats in 2022, as covered by OCNJ Daily on May 2, 2022:

  • “I am not in favor of high-rise hotels. The ordinance in town specifically states that in the Boardwalk district, height restrictions are limited to 25 feet for commercial use only. Residential use is not permitted in the Boardwalk zone, the specific purpose of keeping high-rise hotels out of our skyline.” (Read the OCNJ Daily article here.)

  • “I am not for the addition of high-rise hotels along our Boardwalk or skyline. I am aware that a lot of what keeps our taxes low and Ocean City a vibrant place to live and visit is the reliance on tourism. But I believe there are alternatives to high-rise hotels that will continue to make Ocean City a great place for visitors and residents alike.”
    (Read the OCNJ Daily article here.)