Stanley Hotel at Estes Park in Colorado, the hotel that inspired Stephen King's novel, "The Shining," is gearing up to open a horror museum and film center. Because of the property's popular connection with the horror novel and the film as well, Stanley Hotel's film center will reportedly be dedicated to the horror genre.
According to 9 News, the management of Stanley Hotel is planning to build a horror-themed museum, which is estimated to cost $24 million. According to the proposal, the facility will measure 43,000 square feet and will feature an auditorium that can seat 500 people, an interactive museum, rotating exhibits, and even classrooms and post-production suites.
Since the property is banking on its popularity as a "haunted hotel," the proposed horror museum and film center is aimed at teaching "newcomers" about the horror genre. According to the site, the Colorado Film School is planning to partner with Stanley Hotel.
David Ciani, GM of the Stanley Hotel, said the hotel is the best location for such facility, given its reputation as the inspiration for King's thriller.
"People love to be freaked out and really horror kind of triggers our deepest emotions. Over the last 30 or so years we've just had an overwhelming amount of people who've come to visit his [King's] inspiration. It's it an ideal location because it's a location that has ties to the horror genre that people around the world know and recognize," he explained, as quoted by Fox 31 Denver.
Ciani believes that the hotel's new facility will be a "game changer" and will also create thousands of new jobs. He boasted that the film center's Founding Board includes famous personalities in the horror genre, such as Elijah Wood, Simon Pegg, George A. Romero, Mick Garris, Josh Waller and Daniel Noah.
According to 9 News, if the plan pushes through, the horror museum/film center will be open to the public after a year and a half.