Which one is the True Mayor of Coney Island? Vote Here!

These two men both claim to be the Mayor of Coney Island. Both are artists. Playwright, director, producer and founder of the Mermaid Parade, Dick Zigun and rapping recording artist, entrepreneur who coined the Bing Bong phrase craze Gorilla Nems.

Which one is the true Mayor of Coney?

According to Coney Island community activist Keith Suber, it depends on who you ask. “Dick Zigun is the mayor of the amusement district and Nems is the mayor of the rap game on Coney Island. So I guess we have two mayors!” says Suber.

Michael Quinn, Coney Island historian and owner of the iconic hot dog brand Feltman’s of Coney Island says that he was born in Coney Island back in the early 1970s and as far back as he can remember Dick Zigun was always referred to as the unofficial unelected “Mayor of Coney Island.”

According to Michael Quinn over the course of centuries many have attempted to claim ownership or a title in Coney Island. Even in Quinn’s own family. His grandmother was an O’Connor. Back in the late 1700s her great uncle Peter claimed to have given the tiny stretch of land the anglicized name of Coney Island after an area called Coney Island in Sligo, Ireland. Before Peter O’Connor added the name Coney Island to maps while traveling the seas, the Dutch called it Konijin Hook, meaning the Rabbit’s Hutch. It was Quinn’s ancestor who permanently named it Coney Island. Quinn also believes that although many have claimed ownership of Coney Island over the centuries there can also be two mayors of Coney Island, just as there are numerous leaders in this neighborhood in which he was born.

According to Keith Suber there was almost three mayors of Coney Island ”They tried to give me the title years ago. I declined. Respectfully.”

So who do the people recognize as the true mayor of Coney Island? Zigun or Nems? Vote here!