Hotel Vernal Haunt Proves That Scary Can Be a Force for Good | My Member Story

Some people see a building in disrepair and think it should be torn down. Others may see a real estate opportunity. But for Quinn Bennion and Megan Carroll-Munoz, it’s the perfect place to scare the daylights out of people—all in the name of fun and charity.

In the heart of small-town Vernal, Utah, the old Hotel Vernal sits like a sleeping giant from another era—no guests checking in, no room service—just a few small businesses quietly operating in the lobby. But something is stirring in the dusty hallways. The lights flicker on, screams echo from room to room and what was once forgotten becomes the Hotel Vernal Haunt.

Reaching into the past
The Hotel Vernal had its heyday in the 1950s and ’60s, when guests filled its rooms and the lobby buzzed with the energy of travelers passing through. But for over three decades, it's sat mostly empty—a relic of another era. The building has good bones and plenty of history, but for most of the year, it sleeps.

Then October arrives, and something magical happens. "When we open the doors for the season, it's like the hotel is sad. It's like, ‘Where have you been?’" Megan says. "Then it's just lit up—the whole hotel just changes its energy."

For a few precious weekends each fall, the old building remembers what it was like to be full of life again—even if that life now comes in the form of screams, laughter and wide-eyed visitors running through its hallways. The Hotel Vernal may no longer serve traditional guests, but it's found a new purpose in bringing the community together for something unforgettable.

Great minds think alike
After years away for college and career-building, Quinn returned to his hometown of Vernal and took on the role of city manager. One afternoon, he stopped by the Hotel Vernal for lunch at the small restaurant there. The moment he stepped through those doors, something clicked—the dim lighting, the vintage architecture, the grand staircase beckoning upward into the dingy darkness—it was practically screaming haunted house.

Quinn was told about Megan, another community member, who had the exact same vision for the hotel. When they finally met, it wasn't a question of if they'd make it happen—it was when. They hit it off and immediately started planning.

Of course, they knew they couldn’t take on a project of this size alone, so they assembled a committee. The Haunt Organizing Committee consists of 20 members who plan, create, organize and operate the Hotel Vernal Haunt. These dedicated volunteers are involved in everything that makes the Haunt run—including construction, lighting, sound, makeup, costumes, promotion and volunteer training. “It just wouldn’t happen without them!” Quinn emphasizes.

Building something bigger than a business
Most people start an attraction like a haunted house to make money. Quinn and Megan wanted to give it all away. From the moment they came together to talk about getting Hotel Vernal Haunt off the ground, charity was their driving factor.

Each year, they select three or four charities to support, but there’s a twist that makes this haunted hotel truly unique—the charities don’t just receive a check and call it a day. The amount each organization receives is directly tied to the number of volunteer hours they contribute to prepare and run the haunt. The more the charity’s volunteers show up to build the sets, apply makeup and scare visitors, the bigger slice of the proceeds they’ll receive. This approach ensures that every charity that benefits has skin in the game—it creates a sense of ownership that goes far beyond a simple donation.

Over the past seven years, Hotel Vernal Haunt has raised over $350,000 for local charities.

This year, the chosen charities are:

• Project Alley (addiction recovery)
  
• Friends Against Family Violence (advocacy and shelter)
  
• Utah Foster Care (resource for foster families)
  
• KLiC (Keeping Love in Communities, cancer care and support)
  

Hotel Vernal Haunt isn’t just a haunted house
When Quinn and Megan do something, they go big! As if the hotel wasn’t grand enough—80 rooms of spooky fun, staffed by 70 volunteers each night to bring the sleepy property to life as it welcomes its guests—there are other things to take part in too.

If guests want the fun to last a little longer, they can add on the new zombie paintball experience or one of the three escape rooms. Or, if guests have little ones or group members that aren’t keen on the chills and thrills in all their spooky glory, they can experience a behind-the-scenes tour of the hotel haunt without all the spooks, jump scares and gore.

Mountain America—more than just a credit union
When it came time to set up the accounts for the haunted attraction, Quinn and Megan didn’t have to shop around. Both have been happy Mountain America members for years, and they knew exactly where this venture belonged. Some decisions just make themselves.

Mountain America’s support goes far beyond providing a place to deposit those hard-earned screams—um, proceeds. The local branch is also a sponsor of the event. “We saw a lot of value in it and what it was doing for the community,” says Tabitha McDonald, branch manager of one of the Vernal locations. “This wasn’t just a haunted house—it was neighbors helping neighbors.”

Over the years, Tabitha and other Mountain America team members have volunteered at the haunt itself. “My favorite part of being here is scaring people,” Tabitha admits with a sly smile.

For Quinn and Megan, it’s been the perfect partnership. Mountain America handles the financial side of things, supports the mission through sponsorship and then team members roll up their sleeves to make sure the haunt runs smoothly. That’s what community banking should look like.