Business & Tech

Future of Greenfield Haunted House Scary at Best

A haunt in the vacant Ultimate Electronics store is facing a serious time crunch after getting its request for a temporary use permit declined.

Greenfield residents that have driven past the vacant Ultimate Electronics building likely have noticed the large semi-truck trailers with “HauntFest” emblazoned along the sides.

The trailers serve as movable billboards announcing the haunted house’s newest location. The haunt used to be at the State Fair Park fairgrounds in West Allis, and according to the haunt’s website, the screams are supposed to commence Sept. 30 with 17 days of haunts throughout October.

But Greenfield’s Chuck Erickson said the chances of the haunt opening to the public on time, or at all, are not good.

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According to Erickson, the city has declined a temporary use permit to Taj Jordan, owner of Music on the Move of Greendale and operator of HauntFest. Erickson said the city has issues with the internal layout of the haunt and accessibility of the haunt to name just a few things.

“There’s major issues,” Erickson said. “There is a fair amount of important information we don’t have. We don’t have a sense of what really happens when he sets up this type of thing.”

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The haunt was expected to be just a temporary tenant in the building. According to Erickson, , is not expected to begin renovations until November, assuming such requests are approved by the Common Council at next Tuesday's meeting.

On Tuesday, the Plan Commission was in favor of HH Gregg’s request to change the exterior storefront, add two shipping docks on the north end of the building and make interior renovations.

The store will be the first of its kind in Wisconsin.

In the interim, HauntFest was expected to move in, but because there are so many unknowns, it won’t get Erickson’s OK.

“There’s a lot of uncertainty of what really happens at the event,” Erickson said. “There’s a maze scenario, bounce houses and other games. Whether or not there is food or no food is still up in the air.

“It’s not just a couple people showing up and walking through a building with people in costumes. It’s an intensive event and based on the plans that have been presented, I’m not comfortable saying yes to it.”

According to Erickson, he and Jordan were supposed to meet Thursday. But Jordan emailed him and said he could not attend the meeting and asked that it be rescheduled for Monday.

A message for Jordan left at Music on the Move on Friday afternoon was not immediately returned.

At Tuesday’s council meeting, the alderpersons are to vote on whether or not to grant Music on the Move an entertainment license for the event. If they do not, the haunt is dead. If the alderpersons do grant the license, Jordan still cannot move forward with the haunt until going to the Board of Appeals, which meets once a month as needed, with the hopes the board overturns Erickson's decision.

Erickson said if needed the city could expedite a meeting of the Board of Appeals to hear Jordan’s case.


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