Herald - Lantern - Dispatch 14 August '85 23

i a The Wildwoods j ** I k * =- ' ■ M A *** Thomas Parsons # A

The Angelo Versaggi Fishing Rodeo is upon us. For many years, this annual event has drawn enthusiastic anglers from all across the Wildwoods. Registration for this year's tournament will be held at the Boardwalk Information Center 9:30 a.m. Aug. 19. The tournament will be held Aug. 23 and the four hour fishing trip will commence promptly at 12:30 p.m. Boats participating this year are the Starlight. the Adventurer II. and the Cherokee. As in years past the event is being sponsored and coordinated by the Greater Wildwood Rotary with the assistance of the three Wildwood communities. If you have a child between the ages of 8 and 15, by all means, get him/her to the registration on the 19th. For further information, contact the Boardwalk Information Center at 522-1407. THERE'S NO question about it! Mary Federici is making a grand name for herself in the annals of Cape May County artists.

To have your artistic renderings put on public display is a feat unto itself. To be accomplished enough to stage a one-women showing is a feat beyond, but to be featured at three one-woman shows in one summer... that's news! In July. Federici hosted her first one-women show of the season at the Cape May County Art League. She dedicated this showing to Dr. Petrelli, who it seems was tremendously helpful in clearing up a serious eye infection for Federici just prior to the show. IN AUGUST. Federici will be displaying her talents at yet another onewomen show at Gallery 50 on West Commerce Street in Bridgeton. September, again, finds Federici hosting her third onewoman art show at the Ocean City Cultural Arts Center on Wesley Avenue in Ocean City. Quite an achievement for this talented Wildwood resident. On a note concerning the Ocean City Cultural Arts Center. Federici may be

one of the final "art displayers" at this Ocean City facility. Rumor has it i that the Cultural Arts i Center may be closing this fall. That is indeed a ; shame, as Cape May Coun- • ty has precious few cultural oasis, and the loss I of one of the finest is cer- ' tainly a step in the wrong ! direction. • ; TWO WEEKS ago. I noted that the Preimere Motel had just converted to i condominium units. The question was whether this is the wave of the future for Island motels. It would i seem so, as the El Coronado Motor Inn is also making the switch, i The El Coronado, which was recently purchased, is one of the largest facilities in the Wildwoods and will be the second large oceanfront motor inn to make the conversion. The new owners are plan1 ning a complete remodeling of the structure and ! have already invested thousands in a complete redesign and reconstruction of the lobby area. Also undergoing the conversion is the Royal Sands motel, 14th and Ocean Avenue in North Wildwood. This would indicate the feasibility of converting a small size motel of the type and style that comprise the vast majority of lodging facilities across our Island. IN THE PAST two mon ths, we have witnessed the conversion trend really take hold, and it certainly is spreading to all segments of the lodging industry. Recently. Bill Esher, owner of a four-unit strip of apartments along Pacific Avenue, successfully made the transition. We now have the Royal Sands at 30 units converting, the Premiere at 40 units is the next size "up", and of course the El Coronado. at over 100 units, is one of the "biggies" making the switch. Good or bad for the lodg ing industry in the Wildwoods must be the paramount question' Per sonally, I feel that is has to be a step in the right direction. The motels in the Wildwoods are primarily mid-50's in design and after 25-30 years of high volume seasonal traffic, the wear and tear has taken its toll. IN THE VAST majority of motel to condominium conversions, a massive refurbishing is included in the purchase price of the units. This has to upgrade the room condition and indeed the general condition of the "common areas" such as lobbies, pools, and recreational areas. This step up is coming at a time when it is needed. Will we be seeing condorestaurants next? After all. the term condominium does not refer to a type of building but to a type of common ownership. The Wildwoods. in addition to having more motels and I rental units per square mile than any place on the face of the earth, probably has more restaurant tables per square mile Than many places. This type of saturation makes it difficult to sell, the "whole" but profitable to sell the "piece". ■»< ( Page 24 Please )

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