Ocean City’s $8.7 million plan to buy 200 acres west of Berlin for a sports complex collapsed Monday after dozens of residents from rural St. Martin’s warned that it would replace working farmland with tournament traffic, noise and development close to their homes. After two hours of debate, Councilman Jake Mitrecic withdrew his second to the purchase motion, causing it to fail without a vote.
The fight over the property also exposed deeper concerns about Ocean City’s economic future. In a nearly 20-minute monologue, Councilman John Gehrig warned that the resort’s traditional tourism model was slowly eroding and accused his colleagues of walking away from one of the few ideas big enough to reverse the decline.
Six days earlier, the council voted 7-0 to advance the purchase of two Harrison’s Farm LLC parcels north of Route 50. The indoor-and-outdoor complex would host tournaments and community programs beyond summer. It was the latest candidate in a decade-long search spanning more than 100 properties; an earlier site near Stephen Decatur High School was abandoned in February after protests.
Once again, support evaporated after council members heard from neighbors.
Read the full article on The Baltimore Sun’s website.
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