Creationist Theme Park Supported By Democratic Kentucky Governor

A massive replica of Noah's Ark stretching three stories high and the distance of two football fields may soon be on its way to Northern Kentucky, where it will make its home as the staple of a creationist theme park, Ark Encounter. In an interesting twist, the creationist park is supported by the state's Democratic governor, Steve Beshear.

According to the Louisville Courier-Journal, the theme park's creators are currently seeking state tax incentives that could allow them to recover 25 percent of the facility's cost. Some are questioning whether such a stimulus would violate the separation of church and state.

Lexington's WLEX reports that the attraction and its museums, theaters, amenities, event venues and outdoor parking will cost at least $150 million, and will take three years to build. Estimates suggest that the park could bring 1.6 million visitors annually and provide at least 900 new jobs to the area.

Ark Encounter, the Grant County, Ky. undertaking, marks Answers in Genesis's second foray into the world of ambitious religious education and entertainment projects. They also built the famous Creation Museum, which opened in May 2007 in Petersburg, Ky. Exhibits at that venue include a Garden of Eden, a planetarium to explore the God-"Created Cosmos," and a display showing dinosaurs with their believed correct historical existence alongside humans.

UPDATE: Barefoot and Progressive got in a question at the unveiling.

Comments

[apipewriter]

04:42 PM on 01/10/2011

34% of Kentucky’s bridges are structurally deficient or functionally obsolete.
There are 178 high hazard dams in Kentucky. A high hazard dam is defined as a dam whose failure would cause a loss of life and significant property damage.
89 of Kentucky’s 1,066 dams are in need of rehabilitation to meet applicable state dam safety standards.
96% of high hazard dams in Kentucky have no emergency action plan (EAP). An EAP is a predetermined plan of action to be taken including roles, responsibilities and procedures for surveillance, notification and evacuation to reduce the potential for loss of life and property damage in an area affected by a failure or mis-operation of a dam.
Kentucky’s drinking water infrastructure needs an investment of $2.81 billion over the next 20 years.
Kentucky ranked 24th in the quantity of hazardous waste produced and 21st in the total number of hazardous waste producers.
Kentucky reported an unmet need of $8.9 million for its state public outdoor recreation facilities and parkland acquisition.
19% of Kentucky’s major roads are in poor or mediocre condition.
57% of Kentucky’s major urban highways are congested.
Vehicle travel on Kentucky’s highways increased 41% from 1990 to 2007.
Kentucky has $2.82 billion in wastewater infrastructure needs.

Are those enough reasons to spend the money elsewhere?

[califson]

01:18 PM on 12/27/2010

I seem to recall in the 120 years it took Noah to build the ark the local folks sounded a lot like some of the posters here on HP. THis is Kentucky's business. If it will actually bring 900 badly needed jobs, great! The Creation Museum is packing people in every week providing more jobs, and its a beautiful place. What's your problem? THey provide a safe friendly family place to visit, and if you have not been there you might want to give it a try. It may just surprise you, and challenge your worldview. Education and enlightment comes about by consideration for all viewpoints.

[Benjamin Fusilli]

04:27 PM on 12/27/2010

Sadly, there is no education nor enlightenment emanating from any place promoting Young Earth Creationism. It is an intellectual embarrassment.

[Viqueen2]

03:01 PM on 12/21/2010

My first thought when I read this was South Park's Imagination Land. I know Jesus was there.

[Debbie338]

03:00 PM on 12/21/2010

I challenge them to put replicas of two of every species on that ark. I'll bet we could even get Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris and Christopher Hitchens to finance the attempt, just to show how incredibly stupid the idea really is.

Of course, first we'd have to see if it could even float, empty. :-)

[Tom Joad]

02:54 PM on 12/21/2010

"A massive replica of Noah's Ark stretching three stories high and the distance of two football fields may soon be on its way to Northern Kentucky"

...betting is now open: will it float?...

[multidoc]

02:46 PM on 12/21/2010

Let's see, the "actual" ark was about 450 feet long, 75 feet wide and 45 feet high. It sounds like this one is going to be about the same size. I can already hear the sweet little children asking loudly, "Mommy, how did Noah get ALL of the animals in there?" "God performed another one of those convenient, hard-to-pin-down miracles we learned about in home school, dear."

[Seamus6]

02:25 PM on 12/21/2010

The Flintstones are proof that dinosaurs and man lived together on the earth.

[kevinc5a]

01:38 PM on 12/21/2010

This helps explain Mitch McConnell and Rand Paul.

[srheard]

01:35 PM on 12/21/2010

For 40 days and 40 nights of rain to cover all land (including the peak of Everest at 29,000-plus ft) we are talking rainfalls averaging 725 ft per day. We are talking about a volume of water greater than the volume of our current oceans being added to the earth in 40 days. Then we are talking about it draining off (to where?) or evaporating (to where?). When you coerce a child or adult to defend this story as the truth, you harm their propensity for rational thought.

[Trepasky]

03:46 PM on 12/21/2010

Ah the Republican and Christian strategy reveal for all. Kill critical thinking and destroy rational thought.

[hemorrhage]

01:32 PM on 12/21/2010

How do you make a "replica" of something that did not exist?

[Andrea Torres]

12:48 PM on 12/21/2010

let's try again. considering that we have on the conservative end around 3 million species of animals in the world, and on the liberal end upwards of 30 that's going to be one really BIG boat. as we all know from studying the bible, ooh sorry math, it would have taken noah nearly 30 years just to load them all on (if we are going with the liberal count) that's going to be one LONG field trip.

[taddles]

02:41 PM on 12/21/2010

You are trying to use logic with people who base their lives on faith...logic does not enter into their vocabulary.

[Trepasky]

03:49 PM on 12/21/2010

Nah, nothing like that! LOL
When some believe the universe is less than 10,000 years old, in Noah's time there were only a few hundred species around. The rest were added later. Oh, and the dinosaurs that lived around that time were allowed to perish.

[hellotiki]

12:46 PM on 12/21/2010

Who was the bozo that let on the B52-size Roaches?

[hellotiki]

12:43 PM on 12/21/2010

Branjolina riding on a Triceratops! Wow!

[krummlaw]

12:04 PM on 12/21/2010

Are they going to put the two Tyrannasaurus Rex dinosaurs with the two bandy chickens, pair of goats, or topside with Noah?

[willandjansdad]

11:41 AM on 12/21/2010

I don't care if it rains or freezes
'Long as I got my plastic Jesus
Riding on the dashboard of my car
Through my trials and tribulations
And my travels through the nations
With my plastic Jesus I'll go far

Plastic Jesus, plastic Jesus
Riding on the dashboard of my car
I'm afraid He'll have to go
His magnets ruin my radio
And if I have a wreck He'll leave a scar

Riding down a thoroughfare
With His nose up in the air
A wreck may be ahead, but He don't mind
Trouble coming He don't see
He just keeps His eye on me
And any other thing that lies behind

When I'm in a traffic jam
He don't care if I say "damn"
I can let all my curses roll
Plastic Jesus doesn't hear
'Cause he has a plastic ear
The man who invented plastic saved my soul

If I weave around at night
And policemen think I'm tight
They never find my bottle, though they ask
Plastic Jesus shelters me
For His head comes off, you see
He's hollow, and I use Him for a flask

Plastic Jesus, plastic Jesus
Riding on the dashboard of my car
Ride with me and have a dram
Of the blood of the Lamb
Plastic Jesus is a holy bar