City of Wildwood
Tourism Redevelopment Plan

Over the last 25 years, the Wildwoods have experienced a well-documented and unfortunate economic decline. As a result, the tourism industry and real estate values have suffered immensely. As one of the island municipalities, the City of Wildwood, once a national icon for its legendary beaches and grand ballrooms, has shared the same fate.

The tides are changing. With the economic boom of the past decade, the City officials and other stakeholders saw an opportunity to restore the City’s economy to its heyday. The lynchpin of the island’s renaissance will be the new Wildwood Convention Center, currently under construction. The Convention Center will allow the expansion of the City’s tourism season to become a vacation and convention destination.

To help the City create an action plan for supporting improvements, Triad Associates was hired to lead a team of consultants. The team developed the 2000 Tourism Redevelopment Plan. The Plan calls for the revival of the "Doo-Wop"/Jetsonian design elements since the City has an abundance of these architectural features. In fact, it has been the subject of academic studies undertaken by the University of Pennsylvania and Kent State University and much national media attention in the late 1990’s.

Triad has taken the lead in bringing these projects into reality over the past year. The following 2000 Tourism Redevelopment Plan components are in various stages of development.

• Pacific Avenue Revitalization and Pedestrian Boulevard Connector
Of paramount importance to the success of the Tourism Redevelopment Plan is the resuscitation of the moribund Pacific Avenue Retail and Entertainment District. The development of the Cedar Avenue connector from the Boardwalk to Pacific Avenue is essential to its rebirth. The Plan envisions an exciting and dynamic entertainment district with new retail stores and restaurants supporting the renaissance of Wildwood’s mid-century architecture along this eight-block corridor.

• Rio Grande Gateway and Transportation Center
As the principal entrance to the Wildwoods, the Rio Grande Gateway should rivet the attention of the visitor and create a sense of excitement. This first impression should be continued along Ocean Avenue to the sparkling new Convention Center and the new Transportation Center at Cedar Avenue. This state-of-the-art transportation hub could serve as a destination in its own right and support Pacific Avenue’s revitalization.

• Beach and Boardwalk
The crowning glory and principal attractions of the Wildwoods are their magnificent beach and boardwalk. Because the beach has expanded to over one-third of a mile wide, the Wildwood has the opportunity to develop environmentally friendly recreation and entertainment attractions on selected areas of the beach. A key element of the Tourism Redevelopment Plan is to re-energize the Boardwalk and its commercial and entertainment facilities.