SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — The City of Springfield has been in talks with Hotel of Terror owner Sterling Mathis to purchase the land under the Hotel, but since early 2023, no deal has been made.
“We’re still working with the city, trying to come up with a deal. You know, they want the property. They want to build the park, which is fine, you know, But I have to be able to have enough to be able to rebuild it at another location, which is my other building,” said Mathis.
City officials told OzarksFirst the assessed value of the property is around $380,000.
Mathis has gone on the record to ask for more than that, at least $1 million, saying that the extra money would go towards repairs on the building Mathis would move into, as well as breaking down and reassembling the same haunted attraction.
“A haunted house is not like a car lot or anything like that. You can’t just move some desks and go to any building. I mean, the props are built into the building. When you walk through, I mean, it’s swings and bridges, it’s waterfalls, it’s things on the floor that can’t be moved. You’re going to have to recreate all that stuff,” Mathis said. “I’m not trying to make money on this thing. I’m just trying to move it from there to the other location. That’s all I’m trying to do. You know, I’m not trying to get a big lump sum and retire or anything like that. I have promised the people of Springfield that I’m going to keep the Hotel of Terror going and I’m going to keep my word. I’m going to keep the Hotel of Terror going either in this building or in [a new] building.”