As the days grow shorter and the chill of October creeps into the heart of downtown Reno, thrill-seekers and adrenaline junkies are finding themselves drawn to one place in the biggest little city: Dark Corner Haunted House.
Promising an immersive experience filled with live actors, special effects and spine-tingling monsters, Dark Corner creates an immersive experience. More than 60 local actors take part in the scare, according to co-owner Holly Spahr, and they interact with the crowd, enhancing the fear factor by blending into the scenery and surprising you when you least expect it.
According to staff members the event is one of the “largest ‘build-and-strike-haunts’ in the country.”
Sphar, who is a graduate from the Savannah College of Art and Design and has a degree in sculpture, and is the creator of several of the key pieces within the haunted house, which account for “about 75%” of the total art pieces in the sets.
The haunted experience Sphar and her team created is designed to engage all the senses. Air blasters, water sprayers and densely detailed sets create a visceral experience. The atmosphere changes at every turn, from disorienting fog and deafening loud noises, to strobe lights and lasers.
Dark Corner is inside the 32,000-sq-ft. National Bowling Stadium with two haunted houses for the price of one entry ticket. Each experience offers a different theme. 
Haunt #1: Dark Lane Mall
Once the hub of consumerism and community, Dark Lane Mall has now fallen into disrepair and chaos. The formerly bustling shopping center is now a decaying shadow of its former self, inhabited by crazed, flesh-hungry maniacs who prowl the abandoned corridors. The immersive set riffs on the old Park Lane Mall, which was demolished in 2007, and brings terror to life with detailed, crumbling facades and eerie props.
Haunt #2: Shadow Plague
The world is reeling from a plague that was never cured. A ritualistic cult and the notorious Dr. Stain have embraced this chaos, creating horrifying mutants and animal hybrids in secret labs. Failed vaccine attempts have only worsened the situation, leaving the streets swarming with infected zombies, and members of the clan have been twisted into grotesque plant mutants through dark experiments.
Details
General Admission starts at $19.95 and includes access to both haunted houses. Wait times can be up to an hour during peak times. Line actors and other entertainment keep the crowd entertained.
Dark Corner is not recommended for children under the age of 9. It is also advised that individuals with epilepsy, asthma, heart conditions or those who are pregnant avoid the experience. There is also a strict no-costume policy to ensure everyone’s safety inside the haunted house.
