looking 2 go pro?

[elowther]

All very valid points Rich. I was trying to stay positive with my former post and not squash the kids dreams but you are right. I agree a kid just graduating high school has a very slim chance of acquiring that kind of money unless he has an massive inheritance. I also think your location and market has a lot to do with the cost of starting an attraction. If it cost $10,000 in my area just to submit plans I would be bumming. I took the slow route building up my home haunt for years and years before we finally went commercial an I would consider us a very small haunt with a lot to learn. I have long range plans of getting into a bigger building but we can't afford that yet so most of my haunt is an outside trail. If it were not for the partnership I formed with the farm owners for the land it would have been impossible to buy that land on my own. Bad shows do hurt us all and not everyone has the stomach or passion for this business. I figured he would find out for himself the reality of his situation once he read Kelly's book.

Eric

[Jolly Pumpkin]

I wasn't saying that He should start a haunt with a $10,000 budget. I would suggest $30,000-$50,000, but it all depends on what's involved with your haunt. It's different with you since you are located in Las Vegas. There is a lot of competition such as casinos, live shows etc. So you have to be bigger and better to be able to compete. It may cost more money to start a haunt in another state, but it wouldn't be the smartest thing to invest $350,000 or even $100,000 in a haunt and end up loosing it all and going bankrupt in the process. If you've got the money and can afford to lose it go a head. If it's your passion in life you should go for it.

But for me I would invest a small amount of money your first year to produce a quality show and you'll more than likely get back what you invested your first year. It may take time to get bigger and better, but it will be worth it. It just depends on how smart you are about it and with everything there are obstacles and that includes extra costs, but a lot of that depends on the area your haunt is in. I also said that He should be wise about spending his money and if He isn't smart enough to know that if He doesn't have enough money to start a haunt maybe He shouldn't even consider it. Hell, $100,000-$350,000 might be the costs of producing the type of haunt he wants, but He better damn well sure be able to get back what He invested or He'll be paying off loans for a long time. That sure would suck the fun out of running your own haunt, wouldn't it.

[screamline studios]

wowowo step back a second guys maybe i should have stated my post very differently but there is alot of up front money we are talking about here granted he may be able to get things donated but still so many things to buy lets see rent,plywood,2 x4s,screws,paint,maybe hiring carpenders if needed,sprinkler system possibly,props,animatronics maybe,set dressings,what about setdesigners??,acting cordinator,make-up cordinator,costumes,make-up supplies,hiring actors, security,maybe even hiring someone to do your web page,or what about all your advertising weather it be print or radio or tv spots this alone could cost alot in your first few years NOT MENTION so many things i did not even bring up. I guess it all depends on the corners you cut and who you know that could cut the cost down, or if you pay your actors?? with the rise in prices going up i am sure that could make a big dent in your budget alone. so i guess you guys are right you could put a haunt together for under $100,000 and i do know that you can grow your haunt to point of having a bigger budget and having more than one house but i do stand firm that you can very easily spend $350,000 depending on your wallet size..


Just some random dude

Jason Blaszczak
SCREAMLINE STUDIOS

[Jim Warfield]

If the main motivating factor of someone is to make money or make alot of money or to make money easy, well, these things do motivate a great many but to do a haunted entertainment venue you will also need a lot of desire not connected to making money, it is just plain DESIRE!
How physically and mentally tired have you ever been? Now just up and go right back to work diging that ditch, making that tackle, running that 100 yard dash! No excuses! People do these things tired or not because of desire.
If you have been hiding from "overwork" within the confines of a 40 hour a week job and are comfortable doing this then FORGET haunting!
If you are a youngster who has never had to work 65 hours a week for someone else , then getting into haunting with a lot of desire and ambition will teach you what you can make yourself accomplish in the world of work.

If a person had enough money , smarts, luck, maybe you could build a haunted attraction that was a money machine where you just took the money and people were put through automatically and the money was piled up with no personal straining....automation does make many people a lot of money, when it works.
I will never get away from my own personal involvement telling the customer about the Ravens Grin Inn because I like doing this and I think many people appreciate being entertained and interacting with a real person.
Now where did that "real person" go? Did he wander off again?
He chewed right through his new harness and I have customers arriving!

[SomeThingInTheIce]

Most haunters have a day job and plan on keeping it, but you do not need truck loads of money to open a haunt. You can build it up , now if you are in the big citys maybe not so much, I live in a rual area. As for spending 10,000.00 just to submit plans, who is scaring who. I think I would move.

[shawnc]

A big part of it depends on where you are

There is a big disparity in rent/permit/advertising costs from state to state, county to county, and city to city.

[shredman]

All I can saw is Its going to be alot of time and money spent.

[hauntedhousenut]

Infoamtek

Why are you always angry, lighten up, and cut out the insults, you're making yourself look silly acting that way.

[shredman]

hauntedhousenut, who are you talking to? If its me, I wasnt angry when I posted that, or being mean I hardly ever am

[hauntedhousenut]

Not you

It was meant for Infoamtek

[graystone]

HauntedHouseNut

I think its PMS lmao!

[Infoamtek]

You're Wrong...

It's actually Menopause. LOL

[monsterwax]

I've been enjoying reading this thread, and have also enjoyed all the different points of view. The bitter insults were...um... different, but I'm relieved we've moved on from those. Overall, some very good information was passed along. I fear we might have scared Taylor off though! He probably thinks he started WW3 and that only rich people can get into this business.

Hopefully, he has realized by now that there is a big difference between starting a small haunt in a small town in a rented space, and letting it grow each year, compared to investing hundreds of thousands of dollars into a permanent location in a major metropolitan city where fire departments and building inspectors make opening any amusement VERY expensive.

None of us want to kill his interest in this, but none of us want to see him lose his shirt either. I guess if he's really that interested, reading a few books on the subject and helping a few other commercial haunts would be interesting for him and very helpful in the long run. It's true that bad haunts help turn the public off of haunted houses in general, but I've seen a lot of very expensive haunted houses that all use the same exact props and scare factory toys, so throwing money at it is not always a good solution either. Who knows, Taylor may get a deal on a location, have some great supporting organization (drama club, or key club, or who knows what) and have some friends who know about construction and electronics. In a smaller town, this could be the only fun halloween event of the season. We shouldn't assume his circumstances are the same as ours, and the truth is, he told us very little about where he is or what sort of resources he has at his diposal. We could be pleasantly surprised how this story turns out.

On a darker note, I was told by someone who contacted me from this forum a very funny quote, kinda cynical, but still fun, worth repeating here. I'm sure most of you have all heard it, but Taylor probably has not, so for his amusement and warning, he goes:

"The Best way to make a small fortune in the haunted house business is to start with a large fortune." Not that everyone loses money in this biz, but a lot more do that you might think. I took over our haunt after two other owners went bankrupt in succession. And every year as the up-front expenses increase, I wonder, "Will I make it all back?" On a happy note, the answer has always been YES (so far). But don't forget the liability insurance, Taylor, because what one hand earneth, the slimy claws of vampire lawyers can taketh away!

And Taylor, if you ARE still out there reading this thread, let us know what you decide and how it turns out. We all want you to make the RIGHT decision, we just can't agree on what that decision is. (So the ball is right where it should be: In your court!)

[Jim Warfield]

Briggs Cunningham raced at Lemans in the early 1950's with a hybrid car that had Chrysler Hemis in them, and he said:"The way to make a small fortune in the car business is to start with a large fortune".
Which he did.
One of the Pharohs may have also said something similar though.
I also have a very politically incorrect joke book printed in 1936 with some of the same celebrity jokes printed as were being told 30 years later except the names of the celebritys changed to current ones.
Maybe this is what is meant by "What goes around comes around." (Over and over)

[IF YOUR 555]

Infoamtech, you can stop with your personal messages since Im going to add you to my ignore list. The funny thing is you will be the the only one on it. I will not get in a war of words with you because its a waste of time and Im 39 years old.You are 52? I would never have guessed. I come to this fourm for the same reason Taylor does for the true knowledge of the pros that I respect and look to for advice and answers.Taylor,and the rest of you, I apoligize for waisting your time and space on a fantastic fourm.