The Christian ministry building an attraction based on the huge ark that was built in the biblical story of Noah is inviting the public to the construction site in Northern Kentucky. It will also feature a large petting zoo.
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Instead, Answers in Genesis chief executive Ken Ham said he wants a federal court to rule on whether state tourism officials were right to decline more than $18 million in tax incentives for the project. Answers in Genesis founder Ken Ham says work on the bow and stern will begin soon.
Ark Encounters’ latest video update shows animal crates being lifted by crane and set into place in the all-wood structure constructed by teams of Amish craftsmen. Smaller Noah’s Ark attractions already exist in Denmark and Hong Kong. Outside that criticism, and not a little controversy generated by the project, the Noah’s Ark attraction is impressive simply in its scale and ambition.
Organizers for a Noah’s Ark theme park in Northern Kentucky have announced an opening date for the attraction.
The state had initially awarded $18M in tax incentives to Ark Encounter, in response to organizers’ prediction of creating 20,000 jobs and $4 billion revenue over 10 years, however the money was withdrawn last year due to concerns of religious discrimination.
But the state revoked the credits last December after developers said they would only hire workers who shared their fundamentalist Christian beliefs.
“As we tastefully (but boldly) present Christian messages at the Creation Museum, we will do so at the Ark”, said Ham.
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Ham also made headlines previous year when he got into a televised debate with Bill Nye the science guy about evolution versus creationism. In keeping with the ark theme, officials said Ark Encounter would be open for “40 days and 40 nights” during its first 40 days of operation. Those tickets will be available for purchase online in January. The wooden boat will be 510 feet long when it is finished. The organization believes the world is about 6,000 years old and events in the Bible, such as the creation of the Earth in six days, happened as they were written.
