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Transworld 2020 - Everything you Need to Know Thread

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  • #31
    It has come to my attention that the total loser known as SHANE DABBS has taken offense to my post here... nice to know he still comes to the forums and stalks my comments. Let me reply to my own comments so I'm more clear. He claims I was kicking Transworld when they're down... FALSE!

    What i was doing was a VERY QUICK OVERALL UPDATE! Let me be more clear point by point.

    Let me start with me saying garage sale slash MHC thing... I was told it will be MHC style event with some sort of garage sale element. Meaning you can buy tables and bring everything you have from your shop and try to sell it. That wasn't a cheap shot it was posting exactly what I was told. So rather than a quick hit type comment let me clear it up... this isn't a bad thing I'm not saying its a bad thing at all. I just didn't elaborate. All I'm saying is I don't know all the details I just know its going to be like MHC and they're adding on some elements like a garage sale bring every single item you have and try to sell it.

    I also said its in late July.

    Secondly, I said the show was coming back to St Louis in 2021 and I was told it will come back to St Louis. I brought up the fact the show might move after that because of all the chatter about how some people wanted the show to move. That wasn't a cheap shot it was giving the info I have... the show could possibly move after 2021. I didn't say that was negative or positive. The previous post was just a quick update post.

    I also said we dont' know how the show might looking in 2021 with all the haunt vendors suffering, is there a false statement there?

    I also said a lot of vendors are probably going to pin their HOPES on one fact... the haunted house industry has a great season. The sooner this virus ends the better the haunt season will be for haunted house owners. This is just a fact! That isn't a cheap shot at Transworld at all! that has nothing to do with them. Its called a fact.

    Then I talked about the Darkness haunt tour, I have already said I am not interested in doing one. However I mention that I'm going to built something else and will tour and open that. How is that a negative? I don't want to open my haunt anymore I've done it now 13 times. I want to do something else and I am ... just telling people what I'm doing not a cheap shot at anyone.

    EVERYTHING I SAID WAS A FACT!

    I have also been posting every youtube video on this thread from vendors. Clearly I want ALL the vendors to do well EVERYONE ... but we're dealing with really uncertain times. Every single haunted house owner I talk to says they're not buying anything. So obviously vendors are hurting worse than anyone in our industry. These statements are all facts Shane. Speaking of which Shane you could help vendors if you'd just pay them all the money you owe them... nah that would never happen because you're a crook!

    Larry Kirchner
    President
    www.HalloweenProductions.com
    www.BlacklightAttractions.com
    www.HauntedHouseSupplies.com
    www.HauntedHouseMagazine.com

    Comment


    • #32
      Haters always hate this is the World we live in. I feel bad for Transworld, your business and all vendors. What a hit to take! We'll all recover eventually.

      Comment


      • #33
        So did you sell The Hive Haunted House? Is the social bar you were talking about going in a former grocery store going next door to the escape rooms? It would be so cool if you could make it a horror themed bar or something on the order of Jeckyl & Hyde.
        Thanks
        Damon. frightmasters.weebly.com
        Last edited by damon carson; 03-26-2020, 09:50 PM.
        Damon Carson

        Comment


        • #34
          Transworld Tours 2021

          We have now talked to tons of haunted houses and some have told us point blank, they only come to Transworld to see our haunt. That was awesome to hear let me tell you.

          We never planned on doing a haunted house tour in 2021 or 2020 for that matter. Because I'm not interested in spending more money on a haunted house that is already so incredible, so loaded to the gills with props, animations and special fx that even if i add some would you even notice? It really is to a point like how can you do anymore.

          Anything I do at this point will require me to remove something good that works just fine. Will another extensive renovation bring one more customer thru the doors at The Darknesss? NO! These renovations are for the haunt industry PERIOD!

          Your local customers care more about the actors making them scream, and the haunt owners care more about the scenes, props and fx. It is what it is...

          If you buy my new how to DVD 'How to Get Rich' you will see what I think about how to make more money using the skills you've learned doing haunted houses. Get the dvd its the best one i've ever done.

          With that being said I don't want to do ANY MORE HAUNT TOURS because I don't plan on spending money on my haunt for the next few years. Call it taking a break or regaining some sanity.

          Another reason is I want to build out everything behind my escape rooms into a year around facility. So I can either do another haunt tour or I can do something a lot more profitable.

          I have to remove the hive haunted house, I have to get more electric into that space, install heating, cooling, tuck pointing, add new windows, run water lines, build two more escape rooms, expand our game master booths, build new attractions including axe throwing, and more.

          I'm planning on doing something different next offseason so we'll do a tour of this new facility but no more haunted house tours for me. I mentioned Transworld could possibly move out of St Louis, won't bother me one bit. If they do they do I really could care less either way. Whatever is best for the majority that is how I feel. With that being said I won't be doing anymore haunted house tours, but rather I will do something better...

          What we're going to build out complete will be 10X better than ANY Haunted House because it will make more money, keep people employed year around, and show haunt owners what could be done.

          We're going to take the building we have at The Darkness and use a massive section of it to create a year around business. By the time Transworld comes back to St Louis in 2021 you can see our OZ escape room, we're adding Dracula, plus we're going to re-do our Mummy Escape room, built a bar, axe throwing, and other social activities. We will do a tour here, our escapes will be open and this will be the best tour I could ever do for the haunted house industry, because it will help you see the light!

          That is coming 2021. No more haunt tours for me but something much better I am going to do!

          Larry
          Larry Kirchner
          President
          www.HalloweenProductions.com
          www.BlacklightAttractions.com
          www.HauntedHouseSupplies.com
          www.HauntedHouseMagazine.com

          Comment


          • #35
            I can definitely relate, I had been a pretty vocal member of the industry (trying to be a bit politically correct!!!) I started operating a festival in April. Being 6 months away I thought it would be easier running a one weekend event.... BOY what a miscalculation!! It took WAY to much of my time. I was already dealing with the festival during Haunt season!! So this year we had made the decision to turn the festival over to a local non-profit, working with them this year. Nice timing huh? So I have had to deal with the same issues TW was. We had to wait for local government to force us to cancel to protect vendors and hopefully even get some of my deposits back!! You guys have NO IDEA what has to happen!!

            I, like you with running the haunt tours, decided I had to let the festival go and concentrate on the main business ... the haunts! I assisted with the running of a haunt tour the one time TW was in Vegas. They weren't my haunts, but I ran all the logistics. Everything up to the haunt: promotion, ticketing, transportation (busing over 800 people to and from the tour, dealing with a company that sent the wrong buses and had a driver get lost!) ONE YEAR was enough! I have NO IDEA how you have done it for so long!!!

            You of all people have always been in total support of TW. You lobbied aggressively to initial move the event to St. Louis when we started having major issues in Chicago. Even in the beginning you made comments that if TW wanted to move it elsewhere you'd support it. You felt then that moving every year was a possible mistake, but moving after awhile might make sense. It's like your car insurance. You get a great deal to switch, then slowly they add fees, charge more for premiums but you're comfortable (and lazy) so you just stay. They now tell us we should switch carriers about every 7 years. Maybe it's the same with TW. St. Louis was very inviting and MUCH cheaper than Chicago, but fees have increased, some services have decreased because they have become complacence knowing we'll be back next year. Maybe a move is the right thing, the new location bending over backwards to make things work. Remember we are a MUCH bigger show than when we first came to St, Louis!

            I am not familiar with any issue with Shane (remember out of the loop) so I won't comment. I can only go on personal experience. I have known Larry for well over 20 years. I have supported his ideas and I have fought him on some. Really...he may be right a lot of the time, but he does something get it wrong (in my opinion!!) . I re-read Larry's post and certainly did not feel he was slamming TW. So if Shane is indeed claiming that, I would have to disagree. Let's not make this about any one person, this year is a turning point for our INDUSTRY! We ALL have to support it or WE will end up creating the biggest damage! If you don't support the vendors they won't be back! If you don't support TW, they won't be back.... We have people doing take out 2-3 times a week to support restaurants they probably didn't even support BEFORE the epidemic!! WHY??? To help keep these people in business! It's the SAME for our Haunt Vendors!

            Put your own petty agendas aside and do what's best for the INDUSTRY.
            R&J Productions
            Las Vegas, NV
            www.LasVegasHaunts.com

            Comment


            • #36
              Transworld launched a virtual show check it out ... https://transworldvirtualshow.com/

              I will continue to update on anything I hear or vendors who produce a new youtube video.

              Larry Kirchner
              President
              www.HalloweenProductions.com
              www.BlacklightAttractions.com
              www.HauntedHouseSupplies.com
              www.HauntedHouseMagazine.com

              Comment


              • #37
                Larry Kirchner
                President
                www.HalloweenProductions.com
                www.BlacklightAttractions.com
                www.HauntedHouseSupplies.com
                www.HauntedHouseMagazine.com

                Comment


                • #38
                  Larry Kirchner
                  President
                  www.HalloweenProductions.com
                  www.BlacklightAttractions.com
                  www.HauntedHouseSupplies.com
                  www.HauntedHouseMagazine.com

                  Comment


                  • #39
                    A full blown comprehensive virtual vendors convention could very well be the future for the next few years until our immunity builds up. It will be interesting to see if anyone takes up the task.

                    Comment


                    • #40
                      Larry Kirchner
                      President
                      www.HalloweenProductions.com
                      www.BlacklightAttractions.com
                      www.HauntedHouseSupplies.com
                      www.HauntedHouseMagazine.com

                      Comment


                      • #41
                        Hauntworld community it's time for a reality check.

                        Haunted House Vendors: There is only one solution at this point get loans. The government is offering you 8 weeks of payroll money if you keep your staff employed. Why wouldn't you? Build some product, create the stuff you know sells and skip the rest. Build up some inventory and be ready when haunted house owners start buying. Vendors you might also consider an SBA loan which would save your business, and maybe help grow it. The reality is however that haunts aren't going to be buying much this year. No virtual tradeshow, discounts, or late MHC show is going to change anything. Haunt owners have the luxury right now of sitting this buying season out. This virus hit our industry at a time that benefits the haunted house owner. Had the virus breakout happened 14 days later haunted house owners would have given vendors orders some with cash, checks and the situation would be flipped. But now haunt owners are the ones who benefit as most Renovation projects typically start after Transworld not before. I personally think sometime in April all this is going to calm down, people will go back to work, but even if the media switches topics from virus the new topic will be more bad news (unemployment). The unemployment is going to be a record high, some business on the brink prior to this situation will close forever. Millions are going to lose their jobs and the media will talk about that on top of an election and virus. Everyday this summer will bring more bad news scaring off haunt owners from buying anything.

                        Furthermore you have a Presidential election coming up this year. There will be no PR for haunted houses this year zero! All the media will focus on is virus, economy and election. So what should vendors do? Should vendors expect any orders? Great questions! I'll answer the order question first, yes I think you will get some orders but they will trickle in here and there, and some orders might surprise you! With that being said to take those orders and complete them you will need cash, apply for government grants or loans. Keep in mind there are two things going on right now grants and loans. The grants are forgivable if you retain your workforce. The government will give you the money to pay your workers so take advantage of that and make some product be ready to ship when orders do come. Also consider a zero interest rate loan from the Government I mean what in the hell do you have to lose?



                        Vendors there is only ONE solution right now GET LOANS GET GRANTS! Thinking there will be some miracle life raft sometime this summer is the wrong move.

                        I commend Transworld for trying to find a new show date for MHC, but at the end of July its too little too late. I doubt most vendors have anything to bring and sell as they'll be hand to mouth between now and then, meaning get an order make it ship it... not many will have inventory to sell at a show. I hope the show helps as many vendors as possible but you can't wait around to see what anything in the future brings you need to act now! In fact if I was in your shoes I'd be looking at every possible way to save money, hunker down into your shop make product, take government assistance and sell as orders come in. If you take governement loans or assistance maybe you could built up some inventory, and if you havne't already sold it all by the new MHC grab a table and sell, sell and sell! You have to make this work for your company and your staff. You must find a way to grind this out and hope the haunted houses have decent seasons.

                        We need all the vendors BACK in St Louis at Transworld 2021. We need ALL OF YOU TO RETURN this how we save your business and the industry at the same time. We can't take steps backwards, we need the Transworld show 2021 to be the biggest one ever! We need to save Transworld as well who've invested into this industry like no other company before or after. We can all achieve this by stopping everything you're currently doing and apply for government loans and grants.

                        To my fellow haunted house owners... you really need to get a copy of my new DVD "How to Get Rich" because this DVD focuses on things you need to do to increase your business revenue. Oddly enough I made this DVD prior to this situation but now more than ever, everything discussed in the DVD needs to be applied and applied fast! Instead of expensive renovations you need to work on making your haunt easier to operate. You need to build more scarezones where one actor can double or triple up rooms. You need to figure out ways to go from 100 actors to 60 actors like it was 10 years ago. Haunt owners needs to figure out ways to cut expenses, marketing, and operation costs. Haunt owners you need to skip room renovations and instead built new revenue sources to take advantage of the customers who do come. Do you need a new scene or a 5 minute escape room? Do you need another bloody prop or a zombie paintball arena? You need to figure out every way to increase revenue this haunted house season this will save your business in the event attendance is down by a lot.

                        Haunt owners should prepare for the worst but hope for the best. Haunt owners PR will not exist in 2020 due to the virus, economy and elections. It's time for you to get clever and once this virus passes jump on your social media and start promoting HIRING PEOPLE, talk about everything you're doing to make this Halloween more fun than ever before. You must be socially active. Lastly help your vendors when and how you can, don't be afraid to spend something, anything! We're all in this together, we need to be smart but we need to do our best to keep everyone in the game.

                        Below find links to government programs which can SAVE YOUR BUSINESS and a link to our new How to DVD.


                        STEP BY STEP CHECK LIST: CLICK HERE
                        LOAN FACT SHEET: CLICK HERE
                        CARES ACT INFO CLICK HERE

                        Larry Kirchner
                        President
                        www.HalloweenProductions.com
                        www.BlacklightAttractions.com
                        www.HauntedHouseSupplies.com
                        www.HauntedHouseMagazine.com

                        Comment


                        • #42

                          The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act was signed into law last week and provides approximately $2 trillion worth of economic assistance to consumers and businesses.

                          The CARES act allocated $350 billion to help small businesses keep workers employed amid the pandemic and economic downturn. Known as the Paycheck Protection Program, the initiative provides 100% federally guaranteed loans to small businesses. The program is available to businesses with 500 or fewer employees to help with costs such as payroll, rent, utilities and healthcare. These loans may be forgiven if borrowers maintain their payrolls during the crisis or restore their payrolls afterward.

                          The U.S. Department of the Treasury (https://home.treasury.gov/cares) just published the following information on its website regarding the application process for the Paycheck Protection Program:

                          ASSISTANCE FOR SMALL BUSINESSES
                          The Paycheck Protection Program prioritizes millions of Americans employed by small businesses by authorizing up to $349 billion toward job retention and certain other expenses. Small businesses and eligible nonprofit organizations, Veterans organizations, and Tribal businesses described in the Small Business Act, as well as individuals who are self-employed or are independent contractors, are eligible if they also meet program size standards (https://home.treasury.gov/policy-iss...all-businesses).
                          • For a top-line overview of the program click HERE
                          • If you’re a lender, more information can be found HERE
                          • If you’re a borrower, more information can be found HERE
                          • The application for borrowers can be found HERE

                          If you plan to apply for this loan I would suggest you review the information on the U.S. Department of Treasury website and compile the information that will be necessary to complete the application.

                          Larry Kirchner
                          President
                          www.HalloweenProductions.com
                          www.BlacklightAttractions.com
                          www.HauntedHouseSupplies.com
                          www.HauntedHouseMagazine.com

                          Comment


                          • #43
                            Paycheck Protection Program (PPP)
                            Small Business Administration Loan Application
                            Required Document Check List
                            __________________________________________________ __
                            While we wait for the SBA to provide us with further details on the PPP, please begin to gather the following information for your loan application:
                            ➢ Payroll documents for 2019 and 2020 showing employee wages, paid time off, vacation, family medical leave, and state and local taxes. This should include payment of cash tip or equivalent.
                            ➢ Proof of payment of allowances paid for dismissal or separation.
                            ➢ Proof of payment of group health benefits, including premiums paid in 2019 and 2020.
                            ➢ Proof of payment of any retirement benefits in 2019 and 2020.
                            ➢ Proof of payment of state and local taxed assessed on the compensation of employees for 2019 and 2020.
                            ➢ Proof of payments for compensation to any sole proprietor or independent contractor for an amount not more than $100k in one year (pro-rated for covered period).
                            ➢ Loan statements showing the outstanding amount of a loan made under the SBA’s Disaster loan program between January 21, 2020 and the date on which the covered Payroll Protection Program loans are made available.
                            ➢ Tax Returns for 2019 or completed year-end financials.
                            Larry Kirchner
                            President
                            www.HalloweenProductions.com
                            www.BlacklightAttractions.com
                            www.HauntedHouseSupplies.com
                            www.HauntedHouseMagazine.com

                            Comment


                            • #44
                              Originally posted by robert View Post
                              A full blown comprehensive virtual vendors convention could very well be the future for the next few years until our immunity builds up. It will be interesting to see if anyone takes up the task.
                              I'm working on something along those lines right now. But it definitely will be a 2021 thing. I still have to finish my Masters Degree in August and keep my brand new prop company afloat and plan for conventions for next year.

                              Comment


                              • #45
                                Did anyone see this ???

                                https://www.espn.com/espn/story/_/id...-games-vaccine

                                If 70% of Americans won't attend a live baseball game, then they're not going to Disney, Six Flags, or haunted houses for that matter.

                                Haunts are going to need a tightening of the belt this year. You need to figure out every single way you can reduce labor, maybe even by 50%, marketing, and I would cancel renovation plans for 2020.

                                Vendors honestly you got one option... get loans, get real jobs, and ride this thing out to 2021 because we need you back. Don't spend needless money trying to save your business this year, hope you get some trickle orders, and just find another way.

                                I'm afraid when this is over people won't flood out to shops, restaurants, theme parks or escape rooms for that matter unless the government says they have a vaccine. Nothing short of that is going to kick the economy back into gear.

                                There is also an election this year its all around bad. I'm still hoping for a decent year, but right now you have to plan for the worst and hope for the best.

                                Larry Kirchner
                                President
                                www.HalloweenProductions.com
                                www.BlacklightAttractions.com
                                www.HauntedHouseSupplies.com
                                www.HauntedHouseMagazine.com

                                Comment

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