Dallas-Fort Worth haunted houses scaring up the cash

By KIMBERLY DURNAN / The Dallas Morning News
Operating a haunted house has been scary good business for Boy Scout Troop 1 in Duncanville.

For more than 20 years, the troop has run Reindeer Manor in Red Oak, the proceeds of which pay for camp fees, uniforms and excursions. Last year, Reindeer Manor took in $50,000.

“It’s a good fundraiser,” spokesman Richard Kinney said. “We don’t have to sell popcorn or manure.”

Mr. Kinney, 30, has worked at the haunted house since he was a 10-year-old Scout. His uniforms, adventure camp trips and diving certification were paid thanks to the troop’s ability to generate money from scaring people.

When haunted houses first started gaining popularity in the late 1960s and early 1970s, they mostly were unregulated and operated by church groups or the Jaycees for charity, said D’Ann Dagen, past president of the International Association of Haunted Attractions.

Industry changes include more for-profit houses, better technology and increased safety requirements, said Ms. Dagen, who also operates the nonprofit Hangman’s House of Horrors in Fort Worth, which benefits three or four charities. Volunteers at the house vote each year on which charities get the $50,000 to $100,000 in proceeds.

“Somewhere in the early ‘90s there became an interest by for-profit guys who thought they could do it better and make more money,” Ms. Dagen said. “Some had corporate dollars involved. Most of those guys washed out because it’s a lot more labor and work than they anticipated, but they also raised the bar.”

The association estimates that more than 1,200 haunted attractions will charge fees this year. The typical house averages about 8,000 attendees paying $13 per ticket, according to the association. About 80 percent of those haunts will be operated for the benefit of a charity.

“In the last decade, haunted attractions have matured from small, neighborhood events to large, regional destination attractions,” said Timothy Gavinski, president of the association. “Halloween has become a $7 billion industry.”

In Dallas-Fort Worth, at least 25 houses – with names like Slaughter House, Dungeon of Doom and Fear Factor – are listed on GuideLive.com.

While operating a haunted house helps with Boy Scout expenses, running the facility isn’t easy, particularly because the staff consists of about 75 volunteers, Mr. Kinney said.

“Staffing is a problem for us because we don’t pay anyone. It’s hard to convince a 15-year-old to give up his Friday and Saturday nights for the month of October,” he said.

Haunted house operators also must ensure their events pass stringent city codes. Most everything in the house must be soaked in fire-resistant liquid and exits have to be lit and clearly marked. A few years ago, Hangman’s spent $10,000 on a city-required sprinkler system.

“Code issues are more sophisticated,” Ms. Dagen said. “You see a movement to outside the city where there are fewer restrictions. It drove away almost all the charitable haunted houses.”

Technology in haunted houses has evolved beyond sticking a hand in a jar of grape “eyes” or a bowl of spaghetti “guts,” said Todd James, owner of Cutting Edge Haunted House in Fort Worth.

Animatronics, computer-generated images and holograms – not to mention improved black lights and fog machines – are part of the experience.

“We have a life-size T-Rex that’s pretty freaking cool,” Mr. James said. “He’s an animatronic. We build it and we are pretty close to Disney-caliber construction.”

Workers for Cutting Edge start in February to prepare for October, he said. “Everyone thinks you throw these haunted houses up in a couple of weeks, but that’s not how it is done.”

Because construction takes a lot of time, Hangman’s building stays up year-round. However, some of the space that is not used for scary business goes to Ms. Dagen’s theatrical company, La-De-Da Productions.

“We don’t do anything in that space but the haunted house because there is so much construction and we can’t tear it down and rebuild it every year,” Ms. Dagen said.

Reindeer Manor rents its facility throughout the year to paranormal investigators who are searching for ghosts.

Although special effects have improved with trade shows geared specifically to the industry, Ms. Dagen said haunted houses could become generic if everyone buys the same monsters, electric chairs or other effects. Actors help craft more original and creative houses, she said, adding that Hangman’s uses about 125 people.

“With live actors we can scare up or scare down,” Ms. Dagen said. “If you have a ‘22-year-old-nothing-scares-me,’ we can load up on him. If we have a 10-year-old boy and his 7-year-old sister, then we can dial it down.”

Liability is a concern for haunted house operators, who say insurance, security and safety are priorities. Thousands of thrill seekers move through the attractions and may react differently to being scared.

“We employ 15 policemen and a security staff of about 30 just to keep the event safe,” Mr. James said.

Reindeer Manor keeps a security staff and an emergency medical technician on site, Mr. Kinney said.

“We play on fears and phobias – fear of clowns, fear of the dark and fear of small spaces,” Mr. Kinney said. “Every year we have a couple of people who faint. They pay us to get scared and we try to give them their money’s worth. Others don’t think it’s that scary and opinions vary.”

This year a woman broke her ankle at Reindeer Manor running from something that scared her.

Sometimes, people who may not want to go through the haunted house are with a group and get pressured, Ms. Dagen said.

“Sometimes people don’t feel well when they get here. They are either on medication, haven’t eaten all day or they are feeling woozy because it’s hot,” Ms. Dagen said. “Others may not react well to strobe lights or not realize they are claustrophobic.

“I’ve had 4-year-olds giggle and laugh all the way through and I’ve had 40-year-olds hyperventilate and wet their pants. Everybody’s personality is different.”

Originally Posted at: http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/102607dnmethauntedhouse.1a633d4e1.html

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