Did Spookyworld Get Spooked?
Police Power Exception to Section 362(a) Published October 10, 2003 Bankruptcy Update By Charles M. Golden Special to the Legal The facts in In re Spookyworld Inc., No. 03-1315 (1st Cir. Sept. 25, 2003), are relatively simple. In the town of Berlin, Mass., debtor was a corporation entitled “Spookyworld Inc.” Spooky-world was created in 1991 and operated a horror theme park in Berlin. The park celebrated Halloween, opening every year only for the month of October. From its modest beginnings, Spookyworld’s business grew rapidly; in 1997 it grossed $1.9 million and by 1998, it was employing approximately 500 people during its annual month of operations. The theme park included the usual haunted house, haunted “mine shaft,” and other scare attractions which are common to Halloween celebrations. On Sept. 30, 1998, the building inspector for the town of Berlin, Lawrence Brandt, issued three certificates of inspection to Spookyworld, which would effectively shut down the operation. Spookyworl
