Many first time haunters get shut down before even opening by not knowing building and fire codes that must be adhered to before opening a business to the general public. Check the zoning of the property before you sign a lease and make sure Entertainment is allowed. Put a clause in your rental agreement that the building is up to code for an Assembly Occupancy and Special Amusement Building, or is the responsibility of the building owner to make it so.
What To Do: Learn the "rules of the game." The Life Safety 101 Code Book is at your local library or available online. It is the "rule book" for haunting. Read the Assembly Occupancy and Special Amusement Building sections of the book. Read about egress and electrical requirements.
Develop a business plan with set goals so you can track your progress and change course if needed. Start small and add every year to get where you want to go. Set a budget for each phase of the construction and stick to the budget. If you don't you will end up pulling money from other places like advertising, which is the worst thing you could do. Find someone who has done it before so they can keep you from making the same mistakes that have been made countless times in the past.
If you will follow this sound advice, it will keep your haunting dreams from becoming a nightmare.
Leonard Pickel of Hauntrepreneurs.com is a Haunt consultant and designer with over 35 years of experience helping people open their first Halloween event. Join him and other Haunters from across the country at the annual Haunter’s Convention, HAuNTcon. www.hauntcon.com