BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — There's new life inside the Summit Park Mall in Niagara County. The mall closed in 2009 and it's final anchor store, Sears closed in 2018. Now there's a new attraction inside that old Sears.
Dakota Ward is the owner of 7 Gates Scream Park now open at the mostly deserted Summit Park Mall in Niagara Falls. He says he talked his Dad into opening the new business with him. Dakota explains his passion for haunting started at a young age. He says, "when I was a kid I use to do a home haunt."
Ward says it took nearly one year and hundreds of thousands of dollars to build the 30-thousand square foot scare fest. There's a lot more to it than haunted houses. "We have hatchet throwing, we have midway games, we have a mini-escape room but we also have three haunted houses," Ward describes. He says it will be open all year and host events during numerous holidays.
7 Gates is located inside the old Sears store. It's one of only 2 businesses now open at the mall. Neil Turvey runs the other business, Niagara International Sports and Entertainment and is also Manager of the entire mall. He says the owner, Zoran Cocov has big plans for the space.
"He wants to make this a year round activity center. The shopping is not going to happen here again this has to be different. It has to be something where you take advantage of the open spaces," Turvey explains.
Turvey says plans include a seasonal marketplace, artist vending in the previous Bon Ton store, 2 field houses, an outdoor sports complex, concert venue, hotel and more.
Dakota says the fact that the mall is mostly empty right now makes the haunted house even creepier but he looks forward to more businesses breathing new life into the mall.
7 Gates Scream Park is open nightly. Learn more at www.7gatesbuffalo.com
