A Day in the Life: 13th Gate

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    13th Gate Bellhops Scott Shavers, left, and Sarah Bass observe guest in the waiting area of the haunted house before gates open for a night of terrifing enjoyment.

    While horror is now a year-round industry, Halloween is especially kind to the undead, financially speaking. Americans are projected to spend a record $7.4 billion on the holiday this year, says the National Retail Federation. One of the most renowned haunted shows in the country (No. 2 this year on HauntWorld.com’s list of America’s Scariest Haunted House Destinations) is Baton Rouge’s own 13th Gate. The downtown attraction draws more than 50,000 visitors annually, each forking over as much as $60 for an hour or so  of zombies, vampires, fearsome clowns, live snakes and other terrors. (Photos by Tim Mueller)