2010 Tallahassee Democrat article!

(Above) A vampiress look for blood donors at the Terror of Tallahassee haunted attraction.

Terror Returns to Tallahassee this Halloween Season

(By Elizabeth M. Mack, Oct 8, 2010)


For Kurt Kuersteiner, creator of Terror of Tallahassee, Halloween is more than getting dressed up in costumes and going trick-or-treating.

He said he used to decorate his home in Killearn in the '90s for the holiday, and to his surprise, none of the children would be out on Halloween night.

"After a couple of years of it, I knew I would have to do more if I wanted to have a good time with it," said Kuersteiner, a former adjunt public speaking instructor at Tallahassee Community College.

Hence the creation of the haunted house.

"It's not my full-time job, but it's my full-time passion," Kuersteiner added.

But he and his crew don't only feel obligated to give you the scare of your life. They also support local nonprofits such as Meow or Never, a cat rescue group; Legacy, a Florida State University student organization; Maclay School's Drama Club and Key Club.

Kuersteiner said the haunt has generated over $30,000 for local nonprofits during its twelve year reign.

The Key Club has been participating for much of the last decade, said Charles Beamer, Maclay dean of students and club sponsor.

"I think it's an awesome thing that our club can give back in a creative way," he said.

The all-male service group helps set up the house and acts as some of the goons and goblins, Beamer said. At the end of the season, they receive a donation that they in turn donate to their charity of choice. This year the charity is Cards for a Cure, which benefits cancer research.

The haunt started 12 years ago, originally located on North Monroe Street and called the Mystery Playhouse of Terror, Kuersteiner said.

It was torn down in 2003 and made into parking for Goodwill Industries.

Now the haunted house is at 826 W. Gaines St. in three adjoining warehouses that provide the visitor about 40 minutes of fright every Halloween season.

Terror of Tallahassee will debut this year's haunt from 8 to 11:30 p.m. Saturday. Tickets go on sale at 7:30 p.m.

There are four sections: London Town, Mad Scientist, the Mummy and Sunland (which is short for Sunland Asylum).

If the maze of horror is too much to bear, Kuersteiner said, there are 13 exits from start to finish just in case.

"There's a tension that's hard to describe as people are about to enter," Kuersteiner said. "They are definitely going to have an appreciation for life when they leave."

Read the 2009 Tallahassee Democrat Article.

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rev 10.25.09* rev. 10/10