The enterprise originally launched in 2002 with low-cost practical effects before Stafford left his banking career in 2010 to pursue the venture full-time. The brand has since scaled by acquiring historic and iconic properties, including operations on the Queen Mary and a site in San Antonio featuring a three-story slide. Beyond seasonal haunts, the company operates permanent ventures like escape rooms, axe-throwing venues, and a 40,000-square-foot immersive art installation in Philadelphia.
Key points
The founders transitioned from self-funded, low-budget beginnings to a multimillion-dolla…: The founders transitioned from self-funded, low-budget beginnings to a multimillion-dollar entertainment portfolio across the United States.
The business preserves visitor interest by modifying approximately 30% of each attraction…: The business preserves visitor interest by modifying approximately 30% of each attraction's content on an annual basis.
The company maintains steady operations by diversifying into year-round venues such as es…: The company maintains steady operations by diversifying into year-round venues such as escape rooms and immersive art installations.
Sources checked by our analysis pipeline: 1
Two friends who opened a haunted house in a Denver shopping complex in 2002 with their own money have turned it into a multimillion-dollar entertainment business over the past 24 years. Chris Stafford and Warren Conard started the attraction in Colorado, charging visitors around $15 per ticket. By 2026, their company, Thirteenth Floor Entertainment Group, had expanded to 18 seasonal Halloween attractions across the United States, paying around 4,500 workers during the 2025 Halloween season.
The business has come a long way from its early days, when the two friends had limited money and had to find inexpensive ways to create frightening experiences. Today, the company operates haunted houses in several American cities, alongside escape rooms, axe-throwing venues and other entertainment attractions. During the 2025 Halloween season alone, it paid around 4,500 workers.
Stafford, the company's CEO and founding partner, recently spoke to People magazine about how the business began. His interest in haunted houses developed long before he entered the business world.
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