EDIT: The haunt will actually open this year and some of the original actors are returning. I don’t know anything else beyond this. Look here for details.
I just heard from Pennhurst Asylum Operations Manager Michael E Majewski Jr that Pennhurst will be sold to new management for 2016. The current management will no longer be involved. We are not sure if there will be a haunted attraction this year.
“It is with great sadness that I must inform you all that my time at Pennhurst Asylum has come to an abrupt end.
As of yesterday it was official that the property is under contract to be sold to a new owner. And the haunted house will be under new management.”
Full source:
Pennhurst was one of the best haunted attractions in the country so this is upsetting. Michael E Majewski Jr, Bates Motel Productions, and the cast are irreplaceable. I watched while they took an old building, made it safe, and put a world-class haunted attraction inside that just got better and better every year. The haunted attraction was good enough to completely get past our dislike for asylum-themed haunts, revolutionize how haunted attractions are implemented, and earn our highest recommendation every single year.
I am well aware of what goes into that and I am completely sure that not just anyone could have pulled it off. So you’ll have to excuse me if I say that if it does return it probably won’t be as good. Double that sentiment because this was a surprise today to even the cast and management. It’s super late to plan a haunt for Fall. Even if the new mangement jumped in and did it now they’d still be so behind schedule that I can only see a clusterfuck.
So that sucks.
Everyone involved with this attraction has a lot to be proud of. I hope they get work at another attraction because the world needs this.
Pennhurst WAS Bates Motel Productions (Randy Bates and Todd Beringer) partnered with Pennhurst Acquisitions (Tim Smith Sr. and Executive Assistant Deb Bosher) as Pennhurst Haunt LLC. Michael Majewski Jr (Juice) was Operations Manager along with Haunt Manager Chris Riddle, and John Brady on Tech and Sound.
Click here to read my haunted attraction reviews.