Halloween haunted houses are a scary business proposition, operators say

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Halloween is nary longer a one-day arena

The mean personification will walk much than $100 connected Halloween this year 07:29

The faint of bosom should deliberation doubly earlier mounting ft successful a haunted location for Halloween. The aforesaid could beryllium said for those considering getting into business of moving a haunted house.

"The barriers of introduction are truthful overmuch higher to get into nan haunted location attraction business — rules, regulations and nan disbursal to get in, moreover what group comprehend arsenic entertainment," said Billy Messina, co-creator of Netherworld, an attraction that has been scaring group successful Stone Mountain, Georgia, for astir 30 years. "A bunch of teenagers that opportunity 'Boo!' — that won't alert anymore," Messina told CBS MoneyWatch.

Unlike nan haunted location fundraisers tally by civic organizations specified arsenic nan United States Junior Chamber, besides known arsenic nan Jaycees, Netherworld is among nan twelve aliases truthful haunted houses that tin beryllium likened to full-scale Broadway productions. And, dissimilar nan vicinity location that is haunted by volunteers, these Halloween attractions are master outfits staffed passim nan year, moreover though nan model to move a profit is acold smaller, conscionable a period aliases 2 astir Halloween.

"Our gross rhythm is very short, nan lion's stock of our gross is successful a 2- to 3-month window," said Chris Stafford, CEO and founding partner of Thirteenth Floor Entertain Group. Based successful Denver, Colorado, Thirteenth Floor operates 32 attractions including haunted houses and Halloween festivals crossed nan country, trading hundreds of thousands of tickets each year.

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"Most of our properties we clasp year-round, truthful we person an yearly operating scheme to make judge nan gross we expect to spot is going to travel in," said Stafford, who worked successful nan banking manufacture for 12 years earlier turning what had been a beloved hobby into a full-time career.

"It's a reliable business pinch a unit and a owe that is unfastened each twelvemonth long, and past you person 20 to 30 days to make judge you get to screen each of those basal expenses. It's a challenge," said Messina, who started retired successful nan movie manufacture arsenic a constitution and typical effects artist. Still, "it's beautiful astonishing to beryllium capable to do this for a living," he added.

Both stock a passion for haunted houses that took clasp successful childhood.

"I worked astatine a section haunted location pinch a friend from precocious school. I conscionable really loved everything astir it, immoderate of my champion memories are from there," said Stafford, recalling his experiences arsenic a 15-year-old moving astatine a family-run haunted location successful Denver.

Growing up successful New York City, Messina recalls seeing commercials connected tv for haunted houses connected nan Jersey Shore and yearning but incapable to go.

Like galore different businesses, Messina and Stafford database labour arsenic a immense challenge.

With a full-time unit of astir 15, Netherworld besides hires astir 500 seasonal workers arsenic parking attendants, nutrient and customer work labor and, of course, to scare folks. "For caller employees, nan hiring push starts sometime successful August, and really kicks up successful mid-September. We person assemblage students each nan measurement up to white-collar professionals that conscionable want to beryllium portion of it," said Messina.

Netherworld's guidelines salary starts astatine $8.50 an hour. "People aren't location for nan money, moving arsenic a scare actor," said Messina.

Thirteenth Floor has full-time unit successful trading and finance, and "then comes nan play and we ramp up and virtually prosecute thousands of group to activity — astir apt nan top situation is staffing up a workforce that ample successful that short a time," offered Stafford. "Most of our scare actors are not master actors, but willing successful learning," he added of nan positions which salary conscionable supra minimum wage.

A ample percent of nan seasonal workforce returns each year, some men relayed.

Ticket income support Netherworld afloat, and extracurricular factors including nan upwind and sports tin person an effect beyond Messina's control. "Rain is devastating to attendance, aliases if nan [Atlanta] Braves are successful nan [National Baseball League] playoffs," he offers arsenic examples. "Concessions and nan gift shop are not capable to support nan lights on. We don't suffer money connected that stuff, but they are by nary intends a rate cow," Messina noted.

Both men listed Netflix arsenic nan superior competition. "Just getting group disconnected nan sofa — it's hard," Messina said, adding that Thirteenth Floor strives to springiness group a logic to travel together socially. "Too overmuch of our lives are lived digitally, down nan screen," he said.