Dick Zigun Resigns From The CIDC

As most of us have already heard this morning - The unofficial 'mayor' of Coney Island has announced his resignation of the Coney Island Development Corporation on the Coney Island USA message board.

Zigun writes:

I write this open letter of resignation from the position you appointed me to as a Director of The Coney Island Development Corporation effective Tuesday, June 24th, 2008 6 PM, the exact date and time of the first public hearing on the revised rezoning of Coney Island. I urge you to withdraw this deeply flawed plan and cancel this hearing, but as it stands I cannot leave my name on it. I am particularly disturbed that the Directors of the CIDC have had no opportunity to discuss or vote on these substantial changes to our Strategic Plan - which was the result of years of work and which had achieved widespread neighborhood consensus.

More of what he wrote at the message board.

The New York Daily News also reported:

"This spring, without the CIDC ever having a discussion or ever taking a vote, the strategic plan that I had been a major cheerleader for was totally changed and compromised in a way that no amusement park lover could possibly be happy with," said Zigun, founder of Coney Island USA, which runs a world-famous sideshow.

In a blistering attack, Zigun said that the revised city plan would also mean a significantly smaller amusement park if passed by the City Council next year. The shopping mall, which would usher in retailers such as a Toys "R" Us with its looming Ferris wheel or an FAO Schwarz with its giant floor keyboard, is a concession to developer Thor Equities, Zigun and other critics contend.

There is a good chance that with this shift, a good part of the community who is for protecting the amusement spirit of Coney Island will begin blasting the CIDC plans with more ferver. And we hope that the Save Coney Island movement makes far for noise that what it's been doing, so far, to make their voices heard.

Image courtesy of Showalter for the NY Daily News


Coney #2: Dick Zigun’s Blazing Hot Resignation Letter [Gowanus Lounge]
Coney's 'Unofficial Mayor' Quits Board, Says New Plan Sucks [Curbed]
Coney #1: “Unofficial Mayor” Quits Coney Island Development Corp. [Gowanus Lounge]
The Mayor of Coney Island's Resignation Letter [NY Observer]