Monday, December 06, 2010

New Noah's Ark Theme Park in Kentucky

Great Googlymoogly! It seems that the Creation Museum was not enough to draw tourism, now the Governor of Kentucky has announced that a huge park will be built by 2014 around the theme of Noah's Ark. The article, in the New York Daily News, by Nina Mandell, has this to say:
The park, which Kentucky expects to draw more than a million visitors each year, is projected to cost $150 million, the Louisville Courier-Journal reported.

"Make no mistake about it," Beshear said, according to the paper. "This is a huge deal."

The amusement park will include a 500-foot-long wooden replica of Noah’s Ark complete with live animals, according to the project's website.

"We are constructing a full-scale, all-wood ark based on the dimensions provided in the Bible (Genesis 6), using the long cubit, and in accordance with sound established nautical engineering practices of the era," wrote Ark Encounters, one of the groups behind the project.

The ark is a collaboration between Ark Encounters LLC, a for-profit company, and a non-profit company, Answers in Genesis, which runs the Creation Museum — a museum that educates children about the Bible through interactive exhibits in Petersburg, KY.
Interestingly, the endorsement by Steve Beshear, the governor of Kentucky gives the reader yet another opportunity to play "Name that Party." Ordinarily, if you look at stories involving Republicans and creationism, the "R" is featured very prominently. After I read this story, I had to go hunt up Steve Beshear's party affiliation. It is not often that a Democrat supports an initiative like this in such a high-profile way. And, lest you thought that it was a completely done deal, the article adds this:
While Beshear and other local politicians are convinced the park will float through any regulatory battles, some are questioning whether the millions in tax breaks that the group will receive for tourism violates the separation between church and state.
Beshear took an active part in that request, as well, pushing the positive economic impact for Northern Kentucky. If it is awarded tax breaks, expect the lawsuits to fly. Once again, the scientific world looks curiously at Kentucky and scratches its collective head.
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7 comments:

  1. I keep wondering why AiG doesn't use the money to scietifically prove that man and dinosaur lived together. If I really believed that is the case, that's what I would do with $150 million.

    By the way, there's a floating replica in The Netherlands, about half the Biblical dimensions, but the builder is working on a 1:1 model. Check out www.arkvannoach.com

    I've engaged them on giving equal time (or at least some time) to evolution, a while ago.

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  2. They should at least have Charles Darwin sitting in it or leaning over the deck rail. That would really rattle the cages.

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  3. Anonymous3:54 PM

    I would agree, except that Biblically-speaking, there ought to be 2 Charles Darwins.

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  4. Just found out the 'true size' Dutch Ark is already floating. See http://www.trouw.nl/video/?clip=3329706&pageIndex=1&start=2

    It's in Dutch, but what they're telling is that it made of 12,000 trees by 5 men in three years time. It's now going into a dock to make it seaworthy. There's no engine, but they plan to travel the world with this vessel (using tow-boats, in case you were wondering.

    Re Darwin: not two Darwins, just one Darwin and a mrs Darwin.

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  5. Wouldn't the number of Darwins depend on whether Darwinism is halal?

    But this caught my eye: "...and in accordance with sound established nautical engineering practices of the era."

    I wonder if any nautical historians are scratching their heads over that? I am.

    -Wm

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  6. I still like Skip's idea over at Panda's Thumb. Don't build a tourist attraction ark, build one that will actually float and test the silly model!

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