It would appear the Zion City Council has gotten themselves in a bit of a bind by rejecting a special-use permit for the Dungeon of Doom, a creepy haunted house set to open next month in the old Warwick Building of Deborah Avenue. It certainly would be a better tale if the building was once the Warlock Building, don't you think?
But such naming would never happen in Zion because the Warwick Building dates back to Alexander Dowie and the founding of Zion City, if The Hound recalls what the geezers were talking about the other day. One question for the good burghers of Zion, though: Why did you reject something you originally sought to lure into the city? Yes, before the city's religious leaders caught wind of the black magic being brought to Zion, the planning and zoning commission endorsed the Dungeon of Doom with a 5-to-1 vote. It was a conditional vote, meaning that officials would see how things went this fall and the promoters would have to come back next year for permanent approval.
Forsooth, the city's economic development commisson actually pursued the developers to bring the fright house to Zion, which may leave a gap in the City Council's rejection of the Dungeon of Doom. If the economic development commission was pursuing bringing this attraction into Zion to inject some zombie-like life into the Warwick Building, then The Hound would only conjure the mayor and members of the City Council had an inkling what was going on. Especially since the application was filed in April. Nobody raised red flags about demonic goings on back then.
Mayor Lane Harrison saying he was urging rejection of the special permit because of traffic and neighborhood concerns in a neighborhood once surrounded by traffic generated from the Warwick Building and the nearby nuclear plant rings hollow to The Hound. A good lawyer might have a nice argument that a contract had been entered into with the economic development folks reaching out to the dungeon's promoters. Then again, who knows?
One thing The Hound knows: If Six Flags was in Zion, there wouldn't be a Fright Fest this year --- or in eternity. Hope The Fielders don't have a bat night next year. Bats could be equated to Dracula and you know what could happen then: Boo!
You are talking about the same Mayor, City Council, and Economic Development Commission that have plowed thousands of dollars, over and over again, for the same place: the old Rook's Restaurant building. The last fiasco there being Hussey's, where if they had any foresight, they would've looked into Mike's business history, instead of handing him the money to set up another failure. The place is now on its fourth or fifth incarnation; at least three times assisted with city dollars. The Mayor goofed again with the Dungeon; not because he did something wrong, but he didn't want to LOOK like he did something wrong. He can either stand his ground and allow the place to set up shop as he and the city promised, or just admit he got a spanking from a group he wants to curry favor with.
Being born and raised in Zion, I would like to see families of young children clammering to live here because of the wonderful small town atmosphere coupled with exemplary schools.
The leadership in Zion needs to double their efforts to work on bringing businesses that encourage wholesome family activity and schools families can't wait to have their kids enrolled in. The same folks who worked to turn down the Marina are now working to bring in the Fright Fest...What's up with that?
What businesses in Zion are going to benefit from Dungeons of Doom. I can't think of one!
Whatever you think of the fright fest,known as Dungeons of Doom, it is not wholesome. Highlighting the 'Buried Alive' experience is not wholesome. It may be entertaining to some, but, Fear as entertainment is not considered wholesome in my book.
Who are the owners of the building and why don't they speak out one way or another, or at least identify themselves?
THE HOUND SAYS: Of course fear as entertainment is wholesome. Look at "Twilight". Wildflower, you appear to be suffering from micropsia. Look at the bigger picture and also realize the City Council has reversed itself and granted the Dungeon of Doom an operating permit. Besides, The Hound believes the city owns the building.
It's not like the City was asked to give an occupancy permit to the First Church of Satan. The Dungeon is just entertainment, just like other haunted houses in the Chicagoland area. They aren't recruiting for the 'Army of Darkness'. As for fear not being entertainment, it's worked for Disneyworld, Great America, Universal Studios, Cedar Point, etc.
THE HOUND SAYS: And, it will work in Zion with the City Council now amenable to creepy goings on in the Warwick Building.