Tons of Media is FLYING IN SOME GOOD SOME BAD ... READ ON

[drfrightner]

This one about a hanging in a haunted house man gets 12 years.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/htm...yndication=rss


This one is about tourism for Halloween

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap_travel/20..._fall_o_ween_1

[The Ghoulish Gallery]

The first article has nothing to do with a haunted house. It's not really even about a hanging in a haunted house. It's about some nut who lied to his wife so he could try and hang her. I'm actually surprised Larry even posted this. More than just haunters read this forum and this type of negative non-haunt news has great potential to give the legitimate haunt industry a black eye.

The second story broke on the IAHA message forum yesterday by Barry Schieferstein (yeah, I know I probably butchered the spelling) and then again by Dan Faupel later in the afternoon.

No chop on Larry here, just guessing he's up to his neck in Darkness new addition stuff to not have completely read the first story and to not have broke this last story earlier. No biggie, just that much more to see in St. Louis in March


Tim Turner
www.ghoulishgallery.com

[Jim Warfield]

Notice how Illinois got second mention in the AP article?
Pretty good.
Illinois began it's "Trail Of Terror" promotional ad program many years ago here in northwestern Illinois. The funding for their tourism office comes from taxes paid to motels and bed & Breakfasts so they always try to promote things that would bring people out here and then they hope they rent a room rather than drive back home.
Why would they ever start such a program?
Might it be because some idiot had a haunted house in Mount Carroll that was open all year long?
The former director told me a few times that this is what made it all happen, my being here doing a haunted house...but then she is a "Grease-You" professional, so maybe she was just trying to score some points with my ego?
I quit participating a few years ago. They limit the number of words that you can describe your haunt to 50? words. I would work and work to not go over that magic number. Then the brochure would come out and here are other places getting to spew 75 , 100 words!?
The real negative part of their program was sometimes being on the same page as a "haunt" that was simply Terrible and totally a worthless rip off.
Ever heard of "Guilt by association"?
I didn't like it, especially when people would be complaining about that crumby place to me! As if I was their sponser or owner or something!
Don't blame me!
Yes, I guess I got "touchy" in my old age. (Or smarter?) Verdict is still out.

[drfrightner]

Tim,

I know the first story isn't about a REAL haunted house, still it mentions a haunted house in the same way sex offenders used a home haunt to look up little kids cloths with mirrors. It uses the term 'Haunted House' so its bad, because we got mixed into another thing that has nothing to do with us...murder, death, devil, blah, blah.

I did read it in fact I read it about a year ago when it first happened and now well its resolved the guy is going to prison.

As for the second story, I've been looking at stories break here and there for the past few days, and just didn't post any yet because yes I'm busy. REALLY BUSY! LOL

I will keep updating the site with stories like this as they happen, when I get a chance or based on their level of value or importance. As for the IAHA site I wasn't aware anyone posted there, I don't visit the site at all so I wouldn't know. I do however visit www.HauntedHouseAssociation.org where we have launched a NATIONAL EFFORT TO ELECT FRANK for PRESIDENT!

We are trying to promote the industry, not simply post about stories we find on the net, we are trying to CREATE those stories for the NET!

There is a difference...

A REAL association is coming this WINTER... that is OUR next BIG project!

More on that later!

Larry

[hauntedhousenut]

Larry

The title is somewhat misleading.

[drfrightner]

Here is another one...this time about Universal Studios who is in hot water over a billboard.

http://www.miamiherald.com/news/flor...ry/671629.html

[Jim Warfield]

For some reason I have the impression that you, Larry, have never used bloody signs to advertise your places?
Have you?
OK, Red paint?
Pretending to be blood?

[SomeThingInTheIce]

The few Moms that are biching about it are not going to go to the event anyway no matter how the billboards look. Give YOUR fan base what they want, I have already gotten my tickets and express pass now point me to a bar it halloween and time for Jager Bombs.lol.

[shawnc]

I've gotta try something like that next year. And if I don't get a rise out of anyone, I'll have to stir them up directly.

How great a newspaper advertisement is that? Their haunt is too gory? And it was free!