Halloween haunted houses are a scary business proposition, operators say

The faint of heart should think twice before setting foot in a haunted house for Halloween. The same could be said for those considering getting into business of running a haunted house.

"The barriers of entry are so much higher to get into the haunted house attraction business — rules, regulations and the expense to get in, even what people perceive as entertainment," said Billy Messina, co-creator of Netherworld, an attraction that has been scaring people in Stone Mountain, Georgia, for nearly 30 years. "A bunch of teenagers that say 'Boo!' — that won't fly anymore," Messina told CBS MoneyWatch.

Unlike the haunted house fundraisers run by civic organizations such as the United States Junior Chamber, also known as the Jaycees, Netherworld is among the dozen or so haunted houses that can be likened to full-scale Broadway productions. And, unlike the neighborhood house that is haunted by volunteers, these Halloween attractions are professional outfits staffed throughout the year, even though the window to turn a profit is far smaller, just a month or two around Halloween.