The operators of Amarillo’s haunted houses are not simply concerned with the haunt. They focus on the safety of their customers, as well as their pocketbooks.
“The first thing that we do is ensure all props that we make are washed or painted in fire retardant,” Vona Adams, owner of Terror on 10th, said. “You can also get in and out of this building in a matter of seconds if there ever was a problem.”
Terror on 10th, which has been in the same location for nine years, can reach an estimated 6,000 customers each season. However, with the recent troubles in the economy, Adams guarantees that they are making their haunted house more affordable this year.
“We have got this mega pass that will allow you to go to several haunts,” Adams said. “That way people can afford to go. Otherwise, people are paying $15 a shot at every house.”
The $35 mega pass, also known as the Fear Pass, includes admission to Center City Mayhem, Farmageddon, Amazingly Fun Farm, and Terror on 10th.
Center City Mayhem, operated by the Amarillo Activity Youth Center, also orchestrates Kasper’s Kastle, a $5 kid-friendly haunted house where parents get in free. The youth center also offers a safe childcare service for parents who wish to partake in the adult haunted house.
“The kiddy haunt helped us out a lot this year,” Vicky Conoley, director of Kasper’s Kastle and Center City Mayhem, said. “We are the only ones in Amarillo that have a children’s haunted house and childcare for the main haunted house.”
This year the AAYC also hosted their first annual FearFest, a community wide event that brought awareness to the public about the dangers of the Halloween season.
“We had a big safety fair that correlated with our haunted houses this year,” Conoley said. “The fair had many [safety themed] events, rides, activities and programs for the entire family.”
Another major Halloween attraction in Amarillo is the 6th Street Massacre, which is expecting to host 5,000 customers this season alone.
“Our biggest concern is safety,” Mike Fisher, owner of 6th Street Massacre, said. “We have a paramedic that is on site, fire extinguishers every 25 feet, fire exits with emergency lighting, and we pass the fire inspection each year with flying colors.”
The 6th Street Massacre is the only main haunted house in Amarillo to not be included in the mega pass this year. Admission to the Massacre is $15 per person.
“We had our best opening weekend ever this year,” Fisher said. “I think people are thinking to themselves, ‘I’m going to do my research and find the best one.’”
One Amarillo haunted house is already planning for the next Halloween season and unveiling their future home.
“This will be our last year in this location,” Adams said. “We are moving to the west side of town in a great big building that could potentially have three or four haunts.”
Equipped with an internal sprinkler system, the 29,000 square foot building will be named Amarillo Scaregrounds, but will hold true to the standards of the current Terror on 10th.
“We will be the safest haunt in town and the largest haunt in town,” Adams said.
