Movies Are Back On The Boardwalk: Ocean City's Moorlyn Theatre Gets New Owners

OCEAN CITY, NJ — A Boardwalk icon is getting a new lease on life. The iconic Moorlyn Theatre has new owners who say they are bringing movies back to Ocean City.

Town Square Entertainment, which operates Harbor Square Theatre (Stone Harbor), Tilton Square Theatre (Northfield) and Ventnor Square Theatre (Ventnor) announced that they had purchased the Moorlyn Theatre in a social media post Thursday afternoon.

"The Moorlyn has long been a dream project for us due to its incredibly rich history in serving Ocean City and surrounding community with entertainment since the early 1900's," Town Square Entertainment wrote.

The Moorlyn was the first large building for recreation when it was built in 1905, according to website Cinema Treasures.

On June 19, 1922, it became a 1,600-seat movie theatre, according to the website. It has since been moved to connect with the Boardwalk in 1929, and survived hurricanes, being divided, neglect and more.

In 2012, it was purchased by Ocean City Tabernacle, but has sat vacant for years after they closed it in 2018.

The new owners did not share information about when the theatre would reopen and if any changes would be made, but they assured residents and vacationers one thing - movies are coming back.

"We have a lot of work ahead of us but we can promise you this: Ocean City will soon enjoy a Better Way to See a Movie," Town Square Entertainment said.