McKamey Manor Owner Addresses Extreme Haunted House Controversy, Shutdown Petition Surpasses 80,000 Signatures

Extreme haunted house McKamey Manor has gotten a lot of attention recently for its 40-page waiver and controversial scare tactics, but the activity's creator is defending his attraction.

Owner and creator Russ McKamey has said he will give $20,000 to anyone who can complete the tour, which takes place at different locations between Summertown, Tennessee and Huntsville, Alabama. However, no one at this point has been able to conquer the feat. Now, he has broken his silence about how he says he gives the "contestants" such an intense experience.

According to USA Today, McKamey, a Navy veteran, has been running the haunted house for years. "It's all entertainment," he told the publication, adding, "Halloween is nothing more than a big play. (The Manor) is just putting on a big show. That's all it is, just a big production."

Recently, McKamey Manor has faced backlash for the alleged danger that those who enter are willingly agreeing to put themselves in, but the owner says it's all smoke and mirrors. "They're not getting hurt. I use a lot of hypnosis, a lot of mind control techniques. If you can hypnotize people, you can make them think whatever you want. I don't need to rough anyone up," he stated.

Continuing, he added, "Hypnosis is a powerful tool. I can put somebody in a pool with 3 inches of water and tell them there's a great white shark, and they're going to believe they're swimming (in the ocean) with a great white shark."

McKamey also revealed that he screens potential contestants beforehand in order to find people who are "outgoing" and will "put on a show for fans." This is likely due to the fact that each person's journey through the manor is filmed and shared in a private Facebook group. He also said that before entering he will become your "best friend," which includes calling and checking up on people in order to "figure out what makes you tick."

However, many people see McKamey Manor in a different and more dangerous light. This was highlighted by a recent Change.org petition that has, as of press time, gotten over 85,000 signatures and describes it as a "torture chamber under disguise." The petition also alleges that the creator "uses needles to inject people with drugs" and that visitors may "be waterboarded and forced underwater."

As for how McKamey himself views the haunted houses, "It's just entertainment," he says, "Nothing more, nothing less."