The Kalamazoo Gazette
April 16, 2008
Headline: HOSPITAL COULD BE TURNED IN TO HAUNTED HOUSE
By Jef Rietsma
THREE RIVERS -- An abandoned hospital that has been an eyesore for more than two decades in Three Rivers appears to have the chance to become a major attraction.
The Three Rivers City Commission on Tuesday agreed to sell the three-story, 89,000-square-foot facility to a Jackson man who plans to convert it into a seasonal haunted house.
Businessman Lance Cuffle, 42, owns and operates Homer Mill haunted house, which opened in Homer in 2005 and attracts 1970s shock rocker Alice Cooper for an appearance each fall.
Three Rivers officials had discussed selling the property for $25,000 but plan to negotiate a figure with Cuffle and his attorney. They also will propose that a percentage of all ticket sales go to the city's coffers.
Cuffle said he envisions splitting the old hospital into four different haunted houses.
``It will take more than a year to have it in full operation, but the idea right now is something for the smaller kids, a haunted house for middle-school-aged kids, something neutral like what most people think of when they think of a haunted house, and then an extreme haunted house on the lines of the Homer location,'' he said.
Cuffle said he hopes to have a scaled-down version in operation by this fall.
The boarded-up building, located on the city's south side near Scidmore Park, was abandoned 21 years ago after Three Rivers Health opened its facility off Broadway Street.
Cuffle said he would keep the haunted house open four nights a week, Thursdays through Sundays. He said it would include Disney-quality animatronics.
``This will be more than someone jumping out of a dark space and yelling `Boo!''' Cuffle said. ``People come to the Homer Mill to get scared, and few people leave disappointed.''
The Jackson Citizen Patriot
September 23, 2006
Headline: ALICE COOPER Schedules Meet-And-Greet At Michigan 'Haunted House'
The Jackson Citizen Patriot reports that Alice Cooper will make an appearance at The Homer Mill — a haunted house, restaurant and arcade — in Homer, Michigan on October 11, 2006 from 7 to 10 p.m. His visit will strictly be a meet-and-greet. He is not expected to sing.
Homer Mill owners Lance and Susan Cuffle were able to hook up with Cooper through a Colorado-based haunted house prop company they hired to help with their new business.
Ed Edmunds, owner of Colorado-based Distortions Unlimited, had hired Cooper years ago for appearances at Brutal Planet in Denver, a haunted house theme park.
"It's incredibly unusual, in a small town, to have Alice Cooper show up," Edmunds said.
Up to 300 VIP tickets and 800 regular tickets for Cooper's appearance will go on sale Thursday, Lance Cuffle said.
The restaurant portion of the old mill is still under construction, but Cuffle said the haunted house will be open to all Cooper ticket holders.
Cooper's popularity has revitalized recently with his new nationally syndicated radio show, "Nights with Alice Cooper". WMMQ-Lansing 94.9 FM carries the show each weekday night from 7 p.m. to midnight.
Best known for his on-stage theatrics, Cooper is quite intelligent and humble, Edmunds said.
"He is not a freak or anything," Edmunds said.