Haunted  Haus  2012  Program  Plan  

 

New  Braunfels  Parks  and  Recreation  Texas  State  Recreation  Programming  

   

                         

 Sarah  Walters  Ashley  Krobot  Daniel  Lane  

Alex  Dominguez  Wyatt  Polson  Sheldon  Coble  

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TABLE  OF  CONTENTS    

  Part  1:    Organization  Overview             Page  3       Part  2:    Program  Planning               Page  6       Part  3:    Program  Operations             Page  13       Attachments                 Page  17  

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PART  1:  ORGANIZATION  OVERVIEW    

Introduction      

The  City  of  New  Braunfels  Parks  and  Recreation  Department  is  a  public  governmental  organization  that  operates  within  the  municipal  government  of  New  Braunfels.  According  to  the  city’s  website,  “the  Parks  and  Recreation  Department  operates  the  city’s  recreation  programs,  athletic  programs  and  leagues,  aquatic  programs,  and  golf  course  along  with  maintaining  33  parks  comprising  over  500  acres.”    

 Demographics    

The  Parks  and  Recreation  Department  serves  the  community  of  New  Braunfels,  a  mid-­‐size  suburban  city.  According  to  data  recorded  by  the  2010  US  Census,  the  total  population  of  the  city  was  57,740.  The  area  has  experienced  a  time  of  rapid  growth,  with  a  58.2%  increase  in  population  from  2000  to  2010.  The  vast  majority  of  the  population  identifies  as  a  member  of  a  family  unit,  with  47,899  individuals  comprising  15,054  families.  Of  these  families,  over  11,000  are  traditional,  or  headed  by  a  husband  and  wife.  The  median  household  income  as  reported  by  the  2000  US  Census  in  New  Braunfels  is  $40,078,  and  the  majority  of  the  population  is  of  traditional  working  age.  The  over-­‐65  and  under-­‐18  populations  each  are  comprised  of  nearly  8,000  citizens.  Ethnically,  the  city  is  majority  White  (non-­‐Hispanic)  with  35,132  citizens  identifying  as  such.  The  largest  minority  populations  are  Hispanic  at  15,000  and  Black  at  1,081.    

 Vision  and  Mission  

    The  vision  of  the  Parks  and  Recreation  Department  is  “to  enhance  the  well  being  of  our  community  through  laughter,  play,  conservation,  and  discovery.”    

The  mission  of  the  department  is  “to  afford  diverse  opportunities  and  access  for  all  residents  and  visitors  through  innovative  programs  and  facilities,  open  space  preservation,  and  economic  enhancement.”      Goals  and  Objectives    The  goals  of  the  department,  as  listed  in  the  Master  Plan  for  2010,  are:      

• To  work  towards  transforming  New  Braunfels’  park  system  into  one  of  the  premier  park  systems  in  Texas;  

• To  provide  an  even  and  adequate  distribution  of  park  facilities  citywide;  • To  plan  neighborhoods  so  that  parks  become  greater  focal  points  in  those  

neighborhoods  than  they  are  today;  • To  preserve  and  permanently  protect  unique  natural  open  spaces,  

floodplain  corridors,  and  drainage  corridors  within  the  city  and  its  extra-­‐territorial  jurisdictional  (ETJ)  land;  

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• To  promote  partnerships  with  other  public,  semi-­‐public,  and  private  entities  to  most  efficiently  use  public  funding  to  provide  parks  and  open  space  in  New  Braunfels;    

• To  maintain  all  of  the  City  of  New  Braunfels  parks  and  recreation  facilities  in  a  superior  condition;    

• To  develop  a  network  of  pedestrian  and  bicycle  facilities  throughout  New  Braunfels;    

• To  provide  a  variety  of  recreation  programs  to  meet  the  changing  recreational  needs  and  desires  of  the  City  of  New  Braunfels’  population  

 The  objectives  of  the  department  are  not  formally  listed.    Existing  Resources       The  Parks  and  Recreation  Department  draws  the  majority  of  its  funding  from  the  City  of  New  Braunfels  and  its  tax  base.  The  city’s  General  Fund,  comprised  largely  of  tax  revenue,  provided  over  3.5  million  dollars  during  the  2010-­‐2011  budget  year.  A  city  fund  comprised  of  Federal,  State,  and  Local  grants  provided  $73,117.  Other  non-­‐major  city  funds,  such  as  the  Special  Revenue,  Capital  Projects,  and  Cemetery  funds,  provided  over  1  million  dollars.    

The  current  budget  lists  218  paid  positions  within  the  Parks  and  Recreation  Department.  This  includes  46  full-­‐time  positions,  19  part-­‐time  positions,  and  143  seasonal  positions.  These  positions  may  not  be  filled  at  all  times,  but  could  be  if  necessary  under  the  current  budget.  The  department  also  receives  assistance  from  approximately  100  volunteers  per  year.      

The  Parks  and  Recreation  Department  operates  the  city’s  33  parks  totaling  over  320  acres.  This  includes:  

 • 9  neighborhood  parks,  6  linear  parks,  4  community  parks,  and  2  regional  

parks  • 2  public  sports  complexes,  1  golf  course,  and  1  privately  operated  sports  

complex  • 6  special  use  plazas    • 2  cemeteries  

Within  these  parks  are:    

• 2  recreation/community  centers,  an  outdoor  education  center,  and  an  event  facility  

• 9  large  pavilions  and  picnic  areas  • Infrastructure  support  facilities  such  as  bathrooms  • 10  baseball  fields,  3  outdoor  volleyball  courts,  5  outdoor  basketball  

courts,  12  tennis  courts,  3  practice  fields,  and  5  soccer  fields  • 11  playgrounds,  a  skate  park,  and  a  disc  golf  course  • A  sprayground  and  2  swimming  pools  • 5.91  miles  of  trails  

 

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The  largest  and  most  popular  facility  is  Landa  Park,  a  51-­‐acre  regional  park.  Landa  Park  offers  many  amenities  including  a  boathouse,  a  miniature  golf  course,  a  miniature  train,  an  aquatic  center  with  2  pools  (one  Olympic,  one  spring-­‐fed  with  sprayground),  a  recreation  center,  a  nature  trail,  a  playground,  a  fishing  pier,  and  more.      

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PART  2:  PROGRAM  PLANNING      

Event  Description       The  Haunted  Haus  is  an  annual  event  facilitated  by  the  City  of  New  Braunfels  Parks  and  Recreation  Department.  It  is  open  to  the  public  for  a  small  fee  ($5  per  person).  The  event  is  a  traditional  small-­‐scale  haunted  house  in  which  a  guide  leads  small  groups  of  participants  through  various  rooms.  An  assortment  of  lights,  fog  machines,  props,  decorations,  and  costumed  facilitators  are  used  to  produce  the  “haunted”  effect.    The  Haus  also  includes  a  “debriefing  room”  at  the  end  of  the  tour  to  survey  participants  about  their  experience  and  offer  an  opportunity  to  cool  down  with  snacks  and  goody  bags.  The  2012  Creepy  Carnival  Haunted  Haus  marks  the  fourth  year  of  the  event  and  will  be  held  from  8-­‐10pm  on  both  Thursday,  October  25th  and  Friday,  October  26th.      Target  Audience       In  2011,  the  Haunted  Haus  drew  an  estimated  80-­‐100  visitors  per  night.  The  majority  of  these  visitors  were  local  students  from  13-­‐18  years  of  age.  Some  families  and  young  adults  also  attended  the  event.  There  was  no  record  of  more  specific  demographics  regarding  race  or  socioeconomic  status.  Very  few,  if  any,  persons  with  disabilities  attended  the  event  or  are  expected  to  attend.  As  such,  the  target  audience  for  the  2012  Haunted  Haus  is  local  teenagers,  as  marketing  towards  this  group  seems  the  most  profitable.    Rationalization       As  noted  in  Part  1  of  our  Program  Plan,  the  goal  of  the  New  Braunfels  Parks  and  Recreation  Department  that  is  most  applicable  to  our  event  is  “to  provide  a  variety  of  recreation  programs  to  meet  the  changing  recreational  needs  and  desires  of  the  City  of  New  Braunfels’  population.”  This  event  aligns  with  the  portion  of  the  department’s  mission  statement  that  reads  “to  afford  diverse  opportunities  and  access  for  all  residents  and  visitors  through  innovative  programs  and  facilities.”  The  Haunted  Haus  provides  what  would  not  typically  be  thought  of  as  a  traditional  fall  program  for  teens,  families,  and  young  adults.  Instead,  it  offers  a  fairly  innovative  program  that  is  a  safe  alternative  for  teens  wishing  to  celebrate  Halloween,  yet  also  diverges  from  other  opportunities  enough  to  be  attractive  to  those  seeking  a  new  recreation  experience.  It  is  also  simply  a  fun  and  thrilling  event  for  all  those  involved!                

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Goals  and  Objectives    

1. To  provide  a  safe  experience  in  a  controlled  environment  a. 100%  of  participants  will  show  no  signs  of  injury  upon  completion  of  

the  Haunted  Haus.  b. Staff  and  volunteers  will  mark  100%  of  possible  safety  hazards  

throughout  production  of  the  house.  2. To  provide  access  to  a  fun  and  affordable  recreation  experience  

a. At  least  80%  of  participants  will  positively  rate  their  experience  when  surveyed.  

b. At  least  75%  of  participants  will  rate  the  event  as  affordable  when  surveyed.  

3. To  facilitate  a  successful  event  a. The  Haus  will  draw  at  least  100  visitors  on  each  night  of  the  event.  b. The  Haus  will  produce  enough  revenue  to  cover  the  expenses  of  

production  by  the  conclusion  of  the  event.    Evaluation       The  most  effective  models  for  evaluating  this  event  are  the  Intuitive  Model  and  Evaluation  by  Goals  and  Objectives.  The  Intuitive  Model  will  be  used  throughout  planning,  production,  and  active  facilitation  of  the  event  to  constantly  provide  quick  overviews  of  progress  and  make  any  changes  at  the  exact  time  they  are  needed.  The  Evaluation  by  Goals  and  Objectives  model  is  the  most  effective  method  of  systematically  evaluating  the  success  of  the  program  after  its  completion.  As  we  have  clearly  stated  goals,  many  of  which  relate  to  the  financial  success  of  the  event  and  participant  satisfaction,  it  is  fairly  simple  to  objectively  gauge  the  success  of  the  event  based  on  how  effectively  we  have  completed  each  objective  and  whether  or  not  we  have  reached  each  goal.      

The  most  effective  way  for  us  to  gauge  participant  satisfaction,  the  largest  portion  of  our  evaluation  process,  is  with  an  optional  survey  at  the  end  of  the  Haunted  Haus  in  the  debriefing  room.  The  survey  has  six  easy-­‐to-­‐read  questions  with  a  simple  yes,  no,  or  unsure  grading  response  for  each  question.  The  simplicity  of  the  survey  was  used  in  order  to  avoid  as  many  language  and  intellectual  barriers  as  possible.  Each  question  can  be  related  to  the  goals  and  objectives  of  the  event  directly  or  to  the  overall  personal  experience  of  the  participants.  The  survey  also  includes  an  area  in  which  participants  can  provide  additional  comments.  We  will  be  able  to  implement  our  findings  by  taking  the  total  number  of  surveys  taken  and  the  total  of  each  response,  and  calculating  whether  or  not  we  have  met  the  percentages  set  within  our  objectives.       A  copy  of  the  participant  evaluation  form  is  attached  at  the  end  of  this  report  and  labeled  “Attachment  1.”      

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Venue       The  Haunted  Haus  is  held  at  the  Landa  Park  Aquatic  Complex  at  350  Aquatic  Circle  Drive,  New  Braunfels,  Texas  78130.  The  following  maps,  retrieved  from  Google  Maps  in  December  2012,  show  the  recommended  route  to  the  Aquatic  Complex  from  IH-­‐35  South  and  the  location  of  the  Complex  within  Landa  Park.    South  Seguin  Avenue/State  Spur  453/TX-­‐46  can  be  taken  to  Landa  Park  Drive.  Aquatic  Circle  is  located  directly  off  of  Landa  Park  Drive.  

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Nearly  all  of  the  main  building  at  the  Aquatic  Complex  as  well  as  some  outside  areas  will  be  used  for  the  event,  save  several  areas  that  are  used  for  storage  or  separated  from  the  main  tour  route.    Approximately  10  specific  areas  will  be  used  for  the  event  for  various  functions:    

• Cashier’s  Room  –  Payment  area  and  beginning  of  tour  • Hallway  to  Woman’s  Dressing  Room  –  “Claustrophobic  noodle”  room  • Women’s  Dressing  Room  –  Undecided  room  • Women’s  Shower  –  “Glowing  masks”  room  • Outside  Lawn  Area  –  Graveyard  • First  Aid  Room  –  “Fake-­‐to-­‐Real  Chainsaw  Scare”  • Break  Room  –  “Fake-­‐to-­‐Real  Chainsaw  Scare”  • Men’s  Dressing  Room  –  Clown  room  • Men’s  Shower  –  “Birthday  Party  Gone  Wrong”  room  • Training  Room  –  Finale  and  Survey/”Debriefing”  room  

   Equipment,  Supplies,  and  Material  Needs         While  the  department  has  stored  a  large  amount  of  equipment  and  supplies  from  previous  years  to  be  used  again  in  this  year’s  Haunted  Haus,  there  are  still  many  supplies  and  materials  that  need  to  be  purchased  or  solicited  from  donors.  A  real  chainsaw  will  be  borrowed  for  the  event,  and  other  necessary  construction  resources  such  as  ladders,  staple  guns,  etc.  will  be  provided.         Existing  supplies,  nearly  all  of  which  are  reusable  save  the  fog  juice,  include:  

• “Black  Out”  Plastic,  pre-­‐cut  • Tombstones  • Gargoyles,  various  other  monster  torsos  • Baby  parts  • Fake  chainsaw  • Various  wigs,  masks,  and  other  costumes  • Various  fake  weapons  • Black  lights,  strobe  lights,  string  lights,  and  solid  colored  and  white  lights  • Hanging  witches,  ghouls,  other  monsters  • Fog  machines  and  some  fog  juice  

 Needed  supplies  that  will  be  reusable  include:  

• Black  Out  Plastic  • Pool  Noodles  and  PVC  frame  • Clown  wigs  and  masks,  costumes  • Plain  white  masks  • “False  Escaping  Door”  materials  (door,  frame,  pulley  system,  cart)  • Plastic  table  cloths  • Red  velvet  material  • Creepy  Clowns  sound  tracks  

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Needed  supplies  that  will  be  mostly  or  completely  depleted  after  the  event  has  concluded  and  the  amount  of  each  necessary  for  this  year’s  event  include:  

• Fog  juice,  5  gallons  • Spider  webbing/cheese  cloth,  2  ounces/2  yards  • Face  Make-­‐up,  30  tubes  • Clown  Noses,  32  • Glow  Sticks,  30  • Fake  blood,  1  pint  • Gorilla  Tape,  5  35-­‐yard  rolls  • Zip-­‐Ties,  100  • Staples,  1000-­‐count  box  • Thin  rope/string,  300  yards  

 Marketing  and  Promotion       We  have  used  and  will  continue  to  use  various  types  of  marketing  and  promotion  materials  including:      

• Flyer  • Poster  • Social  Media  –  Facebook  Event/Fan  Group  • Word  of  Mouth  • Professional  Networking  –  Announced  at  A.R.E.  meeting,  added  to  calendar  for  participants  and  volunteers  • Sponsorship  letters/queries  

 Attached  at  the  end  of  this  report  are  a  flyer,  labeled  “Attachment  2,”  a  sample  

sponsorship  letter,  labeled  “Attachment  3,”  and  a  press  release,  labeled  “Attachment  4.”  The  press  release  was  not  used  in  marketing,  but  was  completed  for  academic  purposes.  

 Budget  and  Pricing  Information       For  the  2012  Haunted  Haus,  we  have  budgeted  between  $1100-­‐1250  to  be  spent  on  the  production  of  the  Haus.  About  $450  is  to  be  spent  on  “must  have”  items  necessary  for  construction,  while  about  $750  is  to  be  spent  on  decorative  items.  An  initial  $250  was  given  to  our  group  to  spend  on  items  of  our  choice,  with  approval.  The  remaining  $1000  was  spent  by  department  staff  with  input  from  our  group.      

The  New  Braunfels  Parks  and  Recreation  Department  prefers  to  format  their  budget  for  events  in  an  Excel  spreadsheet.  As  such,  a  spreadsheet  documenting  our  budget  has  been  attached  at  the  end  of  this  report  and  is  labeled  “Attachment  5.”  

       

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Inclusion  Plan       Our  target  audience  is  teenagers  around  the  ages  of  13-­‐18.  That  being  said,  the  event  is  open  to  the  public  and  could  draw  participants  of  any  population  or  demographic  within  the  city  of  New  Braunfels  and  surrounding  areas.  While  we  will  not  target  persons  with  disabilities,  as  it  does  not  seem  appropriate  for  the  nature  of  our  event,  we  have  planned  various  accommodations  for  anyone  who  does  wish  to  participate  in  the  Haus.  We  have  decided  to  retain  the  ADA  standard  width  of  all  doors  and  hallways  in  the  complex  and  to  avoid  any  surfaces  that  could  not  easily  be  navigated  with  minimal  assistance.  Were  someone  with  a  seizure  disorder  or  some  other  condition  triggered  by  lighting,  fog,  etc.  to  wish  to  participate,  we  would  temporarily  alter  the  presence  of  strobe  lights  or  fog  machines  to  avoid  any  issue.  Essentially,  our  goal  is  to  accommodate  rather  than  include.  We  will  not  turn  anyone  away,  barring  safety  concerns  that  we  could  not  resolve,  but  we  will  not  actively  seek  the  participation  of  anyone  with  a  disability.    Staff  Management  Plan       The  Haunted  Haus  requires  different  numbers  of  staff  and  volunteers  for  different  stages.  Planning  requires  two  city  staff  members  and  our  team  of  six  student  volunteers  in  order  to  budget,  market,  design  the  Haus,  etc.  Construction  requires  10-­‐12  staff  members  and  our  team  of  six  student  volunteers  in  order  to  black  out  the  complex,  move  and  organize  supplies,  and  decorate  the  Haus.  Facilitation  of  the  event  itself  requires  the  majority  of  the  staff  and  student  volunteer  construction  team,  as  well  ideally  10  additional  volunteers  per  night.  We  will  have  operation  plans  that  allow  for  the  house  to  be  operated  with  a  minimum  of  20  people  and  no  maximum  number  of  volunteers.    

Most  staff  and  volunteers  on  the  nights  of  the  event  will  be  used  within  the  Haus  as  tour  guides  or  within  rooms.  They  will  be  responsible  for  basic  tasks  involved  in  operating  rooms  as  well  as  acting  out  various  parts  for  scaring  people.  Other  staff  and  volunteers  will  be  involved  in  running  the  line  and  payment,  as  well  as  administering  surveys,  “debriefing”  participants,  and  handing  out  goodie  bags.  There  will  be  no  special  training  necessary  for  volunteers,  as  responsibilities  and  basic  explanation  of  tasks  will  be  given  on  the  night  of  the  event.    Risk  Management  Plan       The  nature  of  the  Haus  as  well  as  the  facility  in  which  it  is  held  bring  several  potentially  dangerous  aspects  into  our  event,  most  of  which  are  easily  managed.  Safety  hazards  or  potentially  dangerous  situations  include:    

• Uneven  Surfaces/Low  Ceilings  -­‐  Uneven  flooring  and  potential  head  hazards  will  be  marked  using  brightly  colored  tape  prior  to  opening  of  the  Haus    • Off-­‐Limit  Areas  -­‐  Office  rooms,  baby  pool,  spring  fed  pool,  and  undesignated  outdoor  areas  outside  of  tour  route  will  be  blocked  by  staff  and/or  tape  

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• Physical  Contact  –  Staff/volunteers  and  participants  will  have  no  physical  contact  in  order  to  assure  no  altercations    • Sturdy  Construction  –  False  walls,  hanging  items,  and  particularly  the  false  door  will  be  constructed  as  well  as  possible  and  constantly  observed  by  staff/volunteers;  false  door  will  be  manned  by  one  staff  member/volunteer  at  all  times  and  significantly  reinforced  • Seizures/Heart  Conditions/Mental  Illness  –  People  who  are  prone  to  seizures  or  could  be  negatively  affected  by  a  haunted  theme  and  potentially  intense  situations  will  be  advised  to  participate;  a  sign  will  be  placed  at  the  entrance  advising  participants  of  this  information    

Contingency  Plan       The  main  risks  to  our  Haunted  Haus  are  weather  related.  In  the  event  of  rain  or  high  winds,  various  changes  and  repairs  will  be  made  to  the  Haus  in  order  to  protect  its  integrity.  Staff  needs  to  be  prepared  to  fix  any  damages  to  the  Haus  if  it  is  damaged  by  wind  and  zip  ties,  black  plastic,  and  cutting  utensils  will  be  on  hand  to  repair  any  damages  at  a  moments  notice.  Heavy  rain  or  wind  would  prevent  us  from  having  our  outdoor  graveyard  area,  and  these  items  would  simply  be  removed  and  stored  to  assure  they  could  be  used  again  and  the  tour  would  be  diverted  past  the  area.  In  the  case  of  rain,  electrical  cords,  splitters,  and  outlets  will  all  be  covered  and  raised  off  of  the  ground  as  much  as  possible  to  prevent  any  water  reaching  them  and  causing  safety  hazards.  Management  Plan       The  realistic  timeline  for  planning  and  managing  the  Haunted  Haus  is  most  effectively  represented  by  a  Gannt  Chart.  This  chart  is  attached  at  the  end  of  the  report  and  is  labeled  “Attachment  6.”    

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PART  3:    PROGRAM  OPERATIONS    Event  Set-­Up    

As  specified  in  Part  2  of  this  report,  the  Haunted  Haus  was  held  at  the  Landa  Park  Aquatic  Complex  at  350  Aquatic  Circle  Drive,  New  Braunfels,  Texas  78130.  The  layout  proposed  in  Part  2  was  a  fairly  accurate  guide  for  the  final  layout  for  the  event.  The  majority  of  the  main  complex,  as  well  as  some  outdoor  space,  was  used  for  the  event,  save  several  areas  that  were  either  reserved  for  storage  or  separated  from  the  Haus  tour  route.  Approximately  16  specific  areas  were  used  for  the  various  “rooms”  along  the  tour  route:  

 • Cashier’s  Room  –  Payment  area  and  beginning  of  tour  • Hallway  to  Woman’s  Dressing  Room  –  “Claustrophobic  noodle”  room  and  “mirrors”  room  • Family  Bathroom  –  “Saw”  room  • Women’s  Dressing  Room  –  “Big  Top  games”  room  • Women’s  Shower  –  “Glowing  masks”  room  • Outside  Lawn  Area  –  Graveyard  • Outside  Concrete  Area  –  “Fake-­‐to-­‐Real  Chainsaw  ”  scare  and  Jack-­‐in-­‐the-­‐Box  with  “Joker”  scare  • Break  Room  –  “Fake-­‐to-­‐Real  Chainsaw”  scare  • Hallway  to  First  Aid/Break  Room  –  Moving  door  scare  • Men’s  Shower  –  Doll  room  • Men’s  Dressing  Room  Part  1–  Clown  room  • Men’s  Dressing  Room  Part  2  –  Monkey  escape  room  • Men’s  Dressing  Room  Part  3  –  Bearded  lady’s  room  • Men’s  Dressing  Room  Part  4  –  Video  Finale  room  • Men’s  Shower  –  “Birthday  Party  Gone  Wrong”  room  • Training  Room  –  Survey/”Debriefing”  room    

The  majority  of  the  rooms,  14  of  16,  served  as  decorated  scare  zones  along  the  Haus  tour  route.  The  remainder  of  the  rooms  were  used  for  the  more  clerical  functions  at  the  beginning  and  end  of  the  route.      Detailed  Running  Sheet       The  preparation  and  set-­‐up  of  the  venue  began  in  the  days  and  weeks  before  the  event.  The  first  step  involved  using  heavy  black  plastic  to  “blackout”  the  venue  as  well  as  to  designate  the  route  and  “build”  rooms.  Next,  all  rooms  were  decorated  using  various  supplies,  and  fog  machines  and  lighting  were  set  up.  This  part  of  the  process  lasted  throughout  the  event,  as  non-­‐permanent  items  such  as  glow  sticks  and  fog  juice  were  added  as  needed.            

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  On  the  day  of  the  event,  the  venue  set-­‐up  was  nearly  complete.  Finishing  touches  were  made  on  several  rooms,  particularly  the  doll  room  and  big  top  games  room.  The  “debriefing”  room  was  also  set  up  completely  on  the  day  of  the  event  as  it  had  previously  been  used  for  storage.  Final  steps  in  set-­‐up  were  to  assemble  the  graveyard,  sweep  the  venue  for  trash,  and  move  any  items  not  in  use  to  storage.         As  we  prepared  to  begin  the  event,  we  assigned  staff  and  volunteers  to  their  positions  and  got  into  costumes  and  make-­‐up.  Fog  machines  and  lights  were  set  shortly  before  the  first  tours  began.  We  had  regular  tours  throughout  both  nights  before  finishing  with  short  debriefing  meetings  with  Jason.  The  Haus  was  torn  down  on  the  Monday  and  Tuesday  following  the  event,  and  all  items  were  returned  to  storage.  Our  final  evaluation  of  the  event  as  a  group  was  in  a  meeting  with  Jason  in  late  November.  Please  see  the  following  detail  schedules  for  both  Thursday  and  Friday,  the  days  of  the  event:    Thursday,  October  25  12:00pm  –  Arrive  at  Haus  12-­‐2:00pm  –  Finalize  room  set-­‐up  2-­‐2:30pm  –  Set  up  graveyard  2:30-­‐3:00pm  –  Sweep  for  trash,  move  items  not  in  use  to  storage  3-­‐3:15pm  –  Walk-­‐through  with  Fire  Marshal  3:15-­‐5:00pm  –  Break  for  lunch  5-­‐6:30pm  –  Finishing  touches  on  rooms    6:30-­‐7:00pm  –  Welcome  volunteers,  assign  positions,  costumes/make-­‐up  7-­‐10:00pm  –  Tours  10-­‐10:15pm  –  Group  picture,  meeting,  tear  down  graveyard,  cut  lights    Friday,  October  26  5:00pm  –  Arrive  at  Haus    5-­‐6:30pm  –  Finishing  touches  on  rooms,  sweep  for  trash  6:30-­‐7:00pm  –  Welcome  volunteers,  assign  positions,  costumes/make-­‐up  7-­‐10:00pm  –  Tours  10-­‐10:15pm  –  Meeting,  tear  down  graveyard,  cut  lights      Final  Budget       The  final  budget  for  the  event  is  attached  at  the  end  of  this  report  and  labeled  “Attachment  7.”  In  total,  $1,1082.95  was  spent  on  supplies  for  the  event  and  $710.00  was  drawn  in  revenue,  resulting  in  a  net  loss  of  $372.95.  However,  there  was  a  strategic  move  to  spend  the  remainder  of  a  fund  from  the  2011  budget  year  before  it  was  lost  at  the  start  of  the  new  budget  year  on  October  1.  Spending  from  this  fund  accounted  for  $611.38.  If  this  expenditure  is  removed  from  the  total  project  expenditure,  the  net  profit  for  the  2012  budget  year  is  $238.43.          

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Evaluation       The  goals  and  objectives  for  the  event  were  listed  in  Part  2  of  this  report:    

4. To  provide  a  safe  experience  in  a  controlled  environment  a. 100%  of  participants  will  show  no  signs  of  injury  upon  completion  of  

the  Haunted  Haus.  b. Staff  and  volunteers  will  mark  100%  of  possible  safety  hazards  

throughout  production  of  the  house.  5. To  provide  access  to  a  fun  and  affordable  recreation  experience  

a. At  least  80%  of  participants  will  positively  rate  their  experience  when  surveyed.  

b. At  least  75%  of  participants  will  rate  the  event  as  affordable  when  surveyed.  

6. To  facilitate  a  successful  event  a. The  Haus  will  draw  at  least  100  visitors  on  each  night  of  the  event.  b. The  Haus  will  produce  enough  revenue  to  cover  the  expenses  of  

production  by  the  conclusion  of  the  event.    In  evaluating  the  success  of  the  Haus,  we  have  assessed  how  well  each  goal  and  objective  was  attained.  Goal  1  was  attained  completely,  as  no  staff  member,  volunteer,  or  participant  was  injured  during  the  event  and  all  safety  hazards  were  marked  throughout  production  of  the  Haus.  Goal  1,  Objective  2  was  verified  in  a  walk-­‐through  by  the  Fire  Marshal.  Goal  2  was  more  difficult  to  evaluate,  as  the  we  did  not  obtain  the  results  of  the  participant  survey  from  the  department.  Based  on  word  of  mouth  and  brief  scanning  of  the  surveys,  we  have  confidently  assessed  overall  participant  satisfaction  at  close  to  100%.  There  was  no  question  regarding  affordability  on  the  survey  but,  based  on  word  of  mouth  and  attendance,  we  have  confidently  assessed  participant  satisfaction  with  the  price  of  the  event  at  close  to  100%.  Goal  3  was  attained  less  successfully.  On  the  first  night  of  the  event,  we  fell  short  of  our  goal  of  100  visitors  by  a  significant  margin.  On  the  second  night,  we  fell  only  a  few  visitors  short.  The  final  budget  shows  that  we  had  a  net  loss  at  the  conclusion  of  the  event,  so  Goal  3,  Objective  2  was  also  not  attained  completely.         As  briefly  stated  in  our  discussion  of  Goals  and  Objectives,  we  did  not  obtain  the  formal  report  of  results  from  the  participant  evaluation.  Instead,  our  evaluation  has  relied  on  word  of  mouth  and  an  informal  scanning  of  the  surveys.  This  limited  information  suggests  that  participants  were  very  satisfied  with  the  event  overall.  The  small  number  of  suggestions  made  by  participants  for  improving  the  event  were  often  either  impossible  according  to  risk  management  policies  or  simply  regarding  trivial  matters.         We  also  evaluated  the  success  of  our  event  by  considering  the  5  P’s  for  evaluation.  As  we  were  satisfied  with  the  number  of  participants  and  reached  our  target  audience,  we  feel  that  we  were  successful  in  this  regard.  We  also  feel  that  we  had  the  right  people  in  the  right  place  at  the  right  time  when  it  came  to  managing  

Haunted  Haus   16  

personnel.  The  number  of  staff  and  volunteers  on  each  night  of  the  even  led  to  a  successful  Haus  and  limited  the  initially  expected  stress  of  management.  The  venue  used  for  the  event,  while  not  a  traditional  haunted  house  venue,  was  an  effective  setting.  The  routing  and  physical  set-­‐up  were  also  successful  in  producing  an  enjoyable  and  safe  Haus.  The  administration  and  policies  of  the  city  and  department  led  to  a  safe  and  successful  Haus  through  sufficient  fiscal  support  and  effective  risk  management  guidelines.  These  four  aspects  all  came  together  in  a  successful  program  that  effectively  promoted  the  mission,  goals,  and  objectives  for  the  city  and  department.       Regarding  modifications  for  the  Haunted  Haus  in  2013  and  following  years,  it  seems  as  if  the  main  area  of  concern  is  with  marketing.  There  is  limited  concern  as  far  as  budgeting,  purchasing  supplies,  and  production  of  the  Haus  as  all  of  these  areas  seem  to  have  reached  a  position  of  perennial  success.  However,  as  far  as  marketing,  the  event  is  still  growing  and  simply  lacks  the  desired  popularity.  It  seems  as  if  the  best  solution  would  be  to  market  more  heavily  earlier  on  in  the  event  planning  process,  as  well  has  marketing  more  heavily  to  local  students.  This  could  involve  working  more  closely  with  sponsors,  partnering  with  local  schools,  or  advertising  more  successfully  using  social  media.  Increased  attendance  could  also  be  achieved  through  a  scheduling  change,  such  as  adding  a  night,  moving  the  event  to  Friday  and  Saturday,  or  increasing  the  time  for  tours  offered  each  night.  This  could  be  more  difficult  for  the  department  to  achieve,  however,  and  so  marketing  seems  to  be  the  more  effective  solution.    

Haunted  Haus   17  

  ATTACHMENTS    Attachment  1:    Participant  Evaluation  Form    Attachment  2:    Flyer    Attachment  3:    Sample  Sponsorship  Letter    Attachment  4:    Press  Release    Attachment  5:    Proposed  Budget    Attachment  6:    Management  Plan    Attachment  7:    Final  Budget