It Should Be Known... :(

[Mort]

Due to circumstances beyond our control, the City mayor and proud owner of Screampark has sent a memo to all city dwellers that this will be the final year for Screampark as we have loved it and appreciated it over the years. Come one, come all to enjoy the final lights out tours. It seems times have changed and the bureaucracies of this once fruitful city has fallen to the darkside. Fun is no longer needed in this small quaint town and the city must be rebuilt. Do you dare want to venture into what once was and what could have been?

We shall see if you can make it out for one last hurrah!

[Luv2BScared]

What I would like to say, I cannot because I have to act decent as this is a public forum. So, in my nicest words I will say this......

THAT COMPLETELY SUCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!

Any possibility of petitioning the city/county and fighting it???

[Hellraiser15]

WTF?????????? WHY??????????????????

[hauntfreak156]

:l ARE YOU SERIOUS?

is there even the slightest little isny weensy chance that it might stay? http://www.octoberlounge.com/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/sad.gif

[vampfire69]

No Scream Park is indefinitely finished after this season.

[Luv2BScared]

I personally will be writing a VERY heated letter to the city of Brighton expressing my disgust. It seems that haunt owners all over town have felt the sting of city/county officials flexing their muscle making things very hard for everyone. It seems there is a sad trend going on.
As haunt enthusiasts, and anyone affiliated with haunts, we should all band together and get everyone we know to stand up and say enough!!!
Haunt owners are doing nothing wrong....why are they being beat up so bad?? If we stand back and do nothing, one by one they will close the doors on everyone. We simply cannot stand back and watch this happen. We have voices, let&#39;s make sure they are heard!! It&#39;s an outrage, it truly is!!

[WelchWitch]

Trust me Luv, we have felt and said all of those words.But even though we are dead, we are still not buried. The Brothers Grim and all the little Mini Me&#39;s are still kicking and having fun. We will be back next year in a place close to you. It just won&#39;t be in where we were created in the town that is afraid of the remarkable, awesome, heart and soul filled Haunted Houses. I wish we could go after the people that be. However if you are the nerd in school, then chances are you may be the one that gets the crap knocked out of you during dodgeball. Besides if you complain to the teacher, they will just throw harder after they get out of detention. Sometimes to be the better person, it is better to just leave the game. My major anger comes in the issue that the nation is having major issues with foreclosures and with the economy that are affecting one ability to support the family and pay the bills, so it pisses me off beyond any words to describe when the "politics" of this industry, with who has the bigger pe@^*r has to play god and destroy something just for the sake of destroying. That is why I have been soooooo active on this board to try to keep that out of here. But I give up. I have learned so much these past couple of years, I have heard so much BS about others that the Witch is tired. This will be my last season here on HD. I will remain in the industry, but secretly flying around flashing all those that look up. Besides I hear the Brothers have blackmail pictures of me that may keep me tied to them for a while. I miss the days here where it was just about having fun, scaring the bejesus out of the youngins and every now and then seeing who had the bigger genitalia.

So the moral to this is never open a haunt in Brighton

and

NEVER EVER EVER

do strip teases on a broom because you never know who has a camera and is looking for a great picture to end up in the tabloids. So if you see a picture of something green with warts in places that may not look pretty with a big smile, no folks it isn&#39;t a UFO or an alien, it was just me trying to have fun and pick up sailors.

SO Come have fun with us this season and be there when we hear "Mr. Brawner tear down this wall"!! (trying to sound like Ronald Reagon, that is my comment during this iamsickofthesepoliticcommercialsohmygodbedonealrea dy)

I promise to wear underwear!

[Luv2BScared]

I hear what you&#39;re saying Welch, but if we as a society continue to give up, then those with power continue to push us around and win. If we stand together and fight for what is right, even if we don&#39;t always win, we are heard. That is my firm belief in everything in life, not just haunts. We can&#39;t just lay down and die and let them do what they will.

[Rev. Noch]

I completely agree. Something has to be done. The people do have power to make change on issues as unjust as this.

ScreamPark was one of my absolute favorite haunts this year. I really want to see what can be created next year and in the future.

[Luv2BScared]

I believe there are plans to create a new haunt next year in a new location. From what I have heard it will not be called Screampark. If anyone out there knows anything different, please correct me if I am wrong.

Whether Screampark comes back at a new location or not, we should let it be known that we are disgusted with the city&#39;s approach to this and that their decisions are not well received. I know personally, that my sales tax dollars can be spent outside of Brighton and they will never get any of my business again. Beyond that, they will be receiving a heated letter telling them that I will be boycotting their city and encouraging others to do the same. I don&#39;t want to do business with a city that believes it is just and moral to run hardworking business people into the ground. Their ethics stink. Wait, they would have to have ethics in the first place in order for them to stink...they have none.

[milkunits]

The joys of Halloween!

Since I was a kid, I have seen the absolute worst in our society concerning a holiday that continues to be destroyed by perverted thoughts and general hearsay of what it really is about. From comparisons to a deity to over the top allegations about how my family chose to spend family time creating monsters, nothing is to surprising anymore.

It is kind of funny how much of which is displayed in Haunted Houses reflects the very worst in humanity and how power, corruption, and ego can only damage us all. I am not going to lie, much of these ideas were portrayed in the City of the Dead this year prior to the 10 gallon hat types riding in on their Brighton issued pony. The way this was handled by a select few was childish at best in high paid positions. We are talking about a grown man here with a vendetta. The hoops that were jumped through to salvage the awesome show we had prepared was like playing with the school bully. I know they have a job to do, but when it goes over the line of job vs. personal opionion, they have crossed the line. We all know about the safety issues, the codes, but when for several years the haunt owner is more concerned with things in the inspection then the inspector themselves, you know something is not right. We then can go down the different counties letting some things fly while others throw the book at haunt owners. These guys are in a position to work and educate people, not shut them down. Maybe that is forgotten these days.

I am sure the owners of Murray&#39;s Massacre can also fill you in on these wonderful village leaders making decisions for us all. I personally love nothing more then seeing haunted houses I have went to for years still in business and having tons of choices in the Denver market. We all make eachother better and competition is good! Last thing we need is people that have no idea of the passion and dedication these events take to shut down operations.


We all know there are codes and items to be followed, but the issue can be argued that there is much worse things out there and some are archaic at best. Let&#39;s be honest, if Haunted Houses followed every code to the T, we would not exist. Neither would rock concerts, fruit stands, bake sales, or community fund drives with boots standing in the middle of busy streets http://www.octoberlounge.com/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/wink.gif

You can drive down the road on Riverdale (going well over the posted speed limit just to keep up) and go down to your nearby big box store and find several code violations or items of concern. Let&#39;s not get started on how I am sure the City of Brighton cuts corners left and right to stay within their budget for the year. My favorite waste of time in this city is those super safe and wonderful round abouts! Great decision there, they must have had a haunt designer plan those ones. You know how we like to confuse the masses http://www.octoberlounge.com/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif

So, on a positive note. I know in my heart of hearts and the entire crew from Screampark, we will be back stronger then ever! The dream must live on for me and my brother&#39;s and mini me&#39;s http://www.octoberlounge.com/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif

[Big Perm]

I don&#39;t know what&#39;s going on with Screampark. I&#39;m not going to pretend that I do. I&#39;d be lying if I said I didn&#39;t care either; being the gossip whore on everything haunt related I enjoy a good story and as an educated individual I also like knowing the facts before I make outrageous claims.

I like Screampark, I really do, I&#39;ve seen it "up" and I&#39;ve seen it "down." It&#39;s an ebb and flow industry with a very, very, finite window to showcase your product and some years you&#39;ll just simply miss (now if you miss every year then you have to reevaluate your business model and and get out of the industry if you&#39;re only trying to cash in on a paycheck but that doesn&#39;t seem the case with you).

You do, however, need to take this with a grain of salt. I&#39;m not advocating that Screampark should be shut down and I am not saying that you have it coming. As I mentioned, I genuinely do like what you guys have put together but from a city&#39;s point of view it is a very tricky business with some unjust and often biased people but every attraction goes through this to some minor or major degree. We simply have, often times, conflicting interests: A haunters job is to make people feel unsafe, take them out of their comfort zone while an FDs job is to ensure that the customer is safe and knows that. Does it suck? Yes! But a fire leaving 8 dead does nobody any good and would shut you down, probably shut everybody down and you&#39;d be lucky to leave the whole situation with the clothes on your back. Again, this probably isn&#39;t the case with you just a point. Every Hauntrepreneur (sorry Pickel, I just used it) deals with that and runs that risk.

In conclusion, I&#39;ll be sad to see Screampark decommissioned, particularly because I won&#39;t be able to see it this year. I&#39;m a huge advocate of peoples rights and would like to get to the bottom of it and find out why and what I could do to help. But I&#39;m also trying to paint a clearer picture (if it applies in this case) that the city isn&#39;t the proverbial boogieman (although cases do vary) and much like we&#39;re trying to scare them they&#39;re making sure we&#39;re safe when we&#39;re doing it.

Did that make sense to anyone other than myself?

[milkunits]

You do make since and I am right on board with your approach and appreciate the kind reply. Believe me, the amount of time spent on every safety concern should always be high priority. Is it always our #1 priority; no, but do we want safety; yes! This was a personal vendetta here and also remember both Murray&#39;s and Screampark are private property owned outright by the haunt owners. I am sure the story will continue to unfold, but there were some things that came up during this debacle that were over the line given it is personal property.

Are we angels all the time as haunt providers; no, but the argument can be made that we are open minded, willing to do what it takes type people and do tend to make the right decisions. Again, we all have different rules completely enforced depending on county.

Not to name anyone in particular, but even at Transworld this year I had a chuckle when it was mentioned how a nice donation in the right direction will seriously influence your relationship with the powers that be. Do I agree with this; no, but it just goes to prove how things are different for each haunt and each city and how the game can be played.

So, no more drama needed here. We wanted to make sure the news about the final year was addressed on fact and not fiction. Sorry to bring it up here, but it should be known rather then guessing to occur.

[WelchWitch]

Since this is my last year here I will say something else. The last thing we need is for this to get back to those that enjoy this or to those that are glad that it happened and make this a bigger and harder issue for all to deal with. I have alot of things to say about it all and what I think has happened, but it will serve no good, damage is done and we move on. You are correct Luv, ScreamPark in Brighton is no more as of the close of this season. It will be leveled to the ground. But the dream to come to another location without the drama and petty BS will become real next season. A new name, new location same dreams will be there to have fun with all those wicked and twisted. I know with talking with many that we do not want to leave on a pity party note but more with a party of the years past and what Scream Park has done both good and bad. I agree 100% with Milker that this should be a family style industry doing all what we love equally. It is very sad that any house shuts down for whatever reason. I don&#39;t care if they suck shit or they are the best thing since wine, we need to support each other and feel the pain if one is hurt. The issues at hand are issues that unless known won&#39;t make any sense to anyone perm. It will do no good to waste your time talking about what all houses will or have felt at some point. We are a dying breed and instead of killing the competition we should support it and let it be one force against all others. I am sorry that I am talking so cryptic, but the feelings are very raw still. However I will say one thing,

Perm.....I understand what your saying. However. Let me ask you a question. You are married, have a family and wish to feed them, cloth them, put a roof over their head and keep them safe. Then after 8 years of doing the same thing every day, the same way every day, to find that people just don&#39;t like you for whatever reason. Maybe you have a prettier wife, maybe your kids are the school bully, maybe you just take care of your family better then they do. But nothing has changed. You do everything the same way, because you have been told its fine no problem to all of a sudden you are told, that you can no longer do what your doing in ALL areas and you must now after many years figure out how you will provide. You have gone from a life with ideas to a life of unknown. Would you ever want to be told then to take it with a grain of salt or that you like a good story???????????

That comment alone just proves what I have been saying this whole time. I have kept my mouth shut and have kept my thoughts to myself, but that just shows that unless you do know the facts it is best to keep your mouth shut! I am sorry if I am sounding like a bitch, that is truly not my intention. I am not the bad person here. I have always tried to be the fun one dammit!

Now, whew, the point of including everyone in this is because as a family we wanted you to know that Scream Park has appreciated each and every one of its visitors and guests. And feel that it would be a blast if we all supported them one last time. I am thankful that I know that. I was sad when Murrays shut down and I didn&#39;t have more time to enjoy them. The last thing Marc and his family needs is more trouble. I know that Marc and his family appreciates all your concerns and would say deeply and sincerely Thank you. Now lets have fun and scare the pee out of someone!

Consider this a New Orleans style funeral. We are going to party like it&#39;s 1999. Gotta leave on a Prince note. He deserves nothing less.

[Big Perm]

Alright, let me rephrase and expand my "grain of salt" comment:

This isn&#39;t a singular problem. I&#39;m sorry that it happened. I&#39;m not putting down the competition and I&#39;m not happy that you&#39;re closing which you&#39;ve insinuated that I am. I have my opinions, you have yours we can agree to disagree and hell, when things go right, we can just simply agree.

I&#39;ve been vocal about putting out a better product, which by appearances you&#39;ve done. I don&#39;t want to see anyone in this market go out of business as long as they&#39;re trying (not all do and I won&#39;t say them here because it doesn&#39;t need to be said, I&#39;ve called them on the carpet for years). It&#39;s a bad day when somebody gets shut down due to extenuating circumstances that have nothing to do with their industry. If somebody simply doesn&#39;t like you and they shut you down for that then that just sucks. It&#39;s not fair and it&#39;s bad business.

That&#39;s why I qualified my statements by saying I didn&#39;t know what was going on and that I wasn&#39;t pretending to.

And Milker,

I don&#39;t know who you&#39;re talking about but having been to HauntCon here and talking with owners from other markets we have it incredibly difficult. Having seen some of the work that constitutes their electrical it amazing that we don&#39;t hear of more catastrophes because it makes a Great White concert look like a weenie roast.

Believe me when I say I didn&#39;t wish this on you guys and hope that you continue to have a great season.

[milkunits]

This statement about a kind donation to the FM was made during a Transworld seminar from a haunt in an entirely different market. I happen to know this haunt crew pretty well and like them and it honestly made me chuckle showing how the laws and code are all up to the person doing it and what mood they are in. I agree, we do tend to have a tight bunch. I would agree with you; and am willing to play the game, but when the game becomes personal, it is time to have that FM or inspector or official call a time out and take a deep breath and consider the circumstances and past events. I guess you could say the FM out here or inspector with the vendetta was once bitten, twice shy, permy!

This was not a comment about any local FM or a haunt locally, rather a comment made to show that the whole thing is up for interpretation and can be construed given the right fire marshal and a nice slip of a few dollars and cents for those nice fire trucks.

This is a trend we all should be aware of. Just today I sent out this article to our team:

http://www.mlive.com/annarbornews/news/ind...hip_haunte.html (http://www.mlive.com/annarbornews/news/index.ssf/2008/10/this_ypsilanti_township_haunte.html)

I have been very outspoken on Hauntworld and other places about the witch hunts and ways people try to ruin something they do not understand or find challenging. With each of these articles the Fire Marshal continues to only try to shut down things without actually doing something to help so that others that enjoy the show can still have fun and be safe. Where do we draw the line? I still decorate my house and am just waiting for the HOA or some ridiculous, self righteous neighbor to ruin all the kids and my families fun for the holiday. Next stop will be the fire marshal has to inspect your Christmas tree in your house my friend.

Having enjoyed Field of Corpses this year the number one thing I noticed was the awesome fire department crew I saw on the property taking care of hazards or issues. It made me wonder if they are paid to be there or if they volunteer their time to keep the event going as it is good for the community. I was impressed. It made the haunt look professional and official. I would be curious to know that relationship, but I thought it was a super good thing and the fire guys were actually very serious and having a good time at the same time.

Call it what it is, this is a risky business and we need the fire marshal to interprut the fire code and that is it. We need their suggestions and the ability to approach them to make us all better; what we don&#39;t need is big sharks in the tank stirring the waters cause they recently got a promotion, want the property owner to move so they can build $400,000 homes that no one can afford anyway with the way our economy looks, or the Mcmansion&#39;s down the road owners moved into agricultural land and then want to gripe about farm properties.

[vampfire69]

Hey Milk are you calling me a&#39; Mini Milker&#39; Cause I will give you a monster titty twister bra! http://www.octoberlounge.com/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/mad.gif

[Luv2BScared]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (WelchWitch @ Oct 20 2008, 03:22 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> (index.php?act=findpost&pid=5405)</div>
Consider this a New Orleans style funeral. We are going to party like it&#39;s 1999. Gotta leave on a Prince note. He deserves nothing less.[/b]

You guys should throw an end of Screampark bash to end all bashes. Send it off in a BIG way!! Have some crazy contests with a chance to win a piece of memorabilia from the haunt or something. Could be a gas!

[Hellraiser15]

I AGREE!!! I would so go back for that!!! make it on Hallows eve itself

[Luv2BScared]

Wouldn&#39;t that be awesome!! It could be a "Screampark&#39;s Last Blast" Party. All kinds of fun could be had doing it on Halloween. Even the day after on Saturday would be really fun!

[jasonbach]

So does anyone have the city officials responsible and/or their manager&#39;s contact information so people on the OL can send them emails? Specific names would be nice.

Does anyone know how to start a petition website and have digital signatures?

[Hellraiser15]

Id sign !

[Luv2BScared]

I know how and who, but have pulled my previous reply. We&#39;ll just attend the blow out party and send Screampark out the way the Brawners wish.

[Hellraiser15]

agreed

[Shade]

I was sorry to hear about this. I really hope the Scream Park crew will find a suitable place to relocate. The best year I ever saw Scream Park (I think this is correct) was the last year that it was in the big building. Maybe a new location will let it regain some of that feel. That said, it&#39;s the cast that sets this haunt apart and I&#39;m sure that they could make anyplace scary.

[little spider]

Thanks for all your support through the years.

I would request that no action be taken with city or county officials, please. The harm has been done and I would like to go out the way I came in, Loving what I do with the people I do it with, you the Haunters.

We will have a November 1 blow out party. Details to come later.

Thanks again, Marc and Laurie Brawner

Now go scare somebody!!!

[Darkkefka]

I went through this haunted last night (thursday) and enjoyed it greatly.