Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
SALT LAKE CITY -- You may have seen it off I-15, an old, abandoned factory that is now being turned into a huge haunted house. The creators say they want to make it the biggest west of the Mississippi.
The factory is located in an old industrial area of Salt Lake City, at 666 W. 900 South.
"It's definitely creepy in the daytime and twice as bad at night," Keith Sharp, the co-owner of Fear Factory, said.
The abandoned cement factory is being converted into something scary, even "what's hoped to be the greatest haunted attraction in the United States," Sharp said.
Fear Factory has built haunted houses before, but they want this one to be big.
"Our version of a haunted attraction. And I think it will be it's own animal, and not even be compared to anything else," Sharp said.
It's definitely creepy in the daytime and twice as bad at night.
–Keith Sharp
The towering attraction is quickly gaining attention. It's easily seen from the street or freeway. With it being an old, abandoned factory, it kind of made the perfect setting - it's creepy; people have died there; and then there's the 666, which is not there just for fun; it's the factory's actual address.
As Sharp says, "Quite a lot of people have died here, getting arms and limbs torn off, and it's definitely haunted for real."
It's a big enough deal that some industry folks, like Mike Gilbert, volunteer to be a part of it.
"I love it. It's what I do," he said. "Haunts are my life.
He's helping build it, and he's an actor. "I'm a professional zombie," he said.
They started work last December. Much of that time was spent in cleaning up and getting the proper permits. With that prep work finally done, they're now sprinting to get it all finished in time for the Halloween season.
Sharp says it will all be worthwhile if they can create something more original and more scary than your average haunted attraction.
"If all you get to do all year long is create, and imagine and put out a show for people to come see, to me, that seems like a dream job," he said.
Email: manderson@ksl.com
