Tennessee McKamey: A popular Summertown tourist attraction, McKamey Manor, is now under investigation by the Tennessee Attorney General, as announced by AG Jonathan Skrmetti in a recent tweet. The Tennessean, which recently promoted McKamey as a “truly terrifying experience” and a “horror experience like no other” in a now-revised post, has also shared a letter from Assistant Attorney General Kristine Knowles addressed to proprietor Russ McKamey. The recent attention to McKamey stems from a Hulu documentary titled “Monster Inside: America’s Most Extreme Haunted House,” which brought national focus to the attraction, self-described as an “audience participation event.”
Publicly available documentation, including YouTube videos, has shed light on an experience at McKamey that appears to involve formal torture, physical violence, and psychological abuse. State prosecutors have raised concerns about a lengthy legal release document, made available to participants only immediately before their experience, and a fake $20,000 prize advertised by McKamey. In Knowles’ letter to McKamey, it is made clear that prosecutors will soon request documents and evidence related to his business practices. This investigation by the Attorney General follows legal action taken by Skrmetti against tech giant Meta and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Russ McKamey relocated the attraction from San Diego to Summertown in 2017 after facing public backlash. In a 2018 cover story for Scene, he referred to curating participants’ experiences as an “art form.” He has consistently defended his practices as voluntary and rewarding. Instead of an entrance fee, McKamey requires participants to bring food for his dogs and mandates pre-event tasks, which participants document on Facebook. A dedicated community of followers on McKamey’s Facebook and YouTube pages closely follows and engages with participants’ experiences.
Although the site has garnered significant attention, graphic videos and firsthand accounts from participants paint a concerning picture. Legal proceedings are now focused on the assurances and promises made to participants and the legal waiver associated with McKamey Manor.
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Our Reader’s Queries
Does McKamey Manor still exist?
McKamey Manor is indeed still open. Despite efforts to close it down through two petitions, it continues to operate on a year-round basis, providing one show per week.
Did McKamey Manor get shut down?
The status of McKamey Manor is still undecided. Skrmetti revealed that people in San Diego, where the haunted house used to be located, also had worries. The attraction was moved to Tennessee in 2017 following its closure in response to public criticism.
What happened at McKamey Manor?
Every tour is personalized to the individual, exploiting their deepest fears and phobias. Former guests of McKamey Manor have shared stories of departing with fractured bones, shaved heads, pulled teeth, and enduring lasting psychological distress.
Has anyone completed McKamey Manor?
McKamey Manor bills itself as an “extreme haunted experience” where visitors are assured of the most frightening and mentally draining 10+ hours of their lives. No one has ever finished the experience, and the longest anyone has endured is roughly 1 hour.