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Zorro

(15,756 posts)
Wed Feb 19, 2020, 09:16 AM Feb 2020

Christian theme park Holy Land Experience will lay off 118 workers

The Holy Land Experience, an Orlando Christian attraction best known for its daily crucifixion performances and a campus that replicates ancient Jerusalem and a Roman coliseum, will lay off most of its employees.

On Friday, the attraction filed a layoff notice with city and state officials that it plans to eliminate 118 jobs, representing most of its employees, as of April 18. Those losing their jobs include 43 actors and musicians, plus dancers, media specialists, prop handlers, food service workers and support staff.

The Holy Land Experience “has established a severance package plan to assist employees during this difficult time,” the notice said.

For nearly 20 years, the land was set up as living museum experience that included live re-enactments of Biblical scenes. It also housed the Scriptorium, a center with one of the world’s largest collections of antique Bibles and Judeo-Christian artifacts.

https://www.tampabay.com/arts-entertainment/2020/02/18/christian-theme-park-holy-land-experience-will-lay-off-118-workers/

Looks like those daily crucifixion performances just weren't bringin' 'em in the way they used to back in the good ol' days.

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Christian theme park Holy Land Experience will lay off 118 workers (Original Post) Zorro Feb 2020 OP
Thoughts and prayers for them. bitterross Feb 2020 #1
God is their Co-Pilot. TheBlackAdder Feb 2020 #45
I remember watching Bill Maher's Religilous, when he visited there and spoke to Fake Jesus. TheBlackAdder Feb 2020 #58
They have their own Coliseum... jberryhill Feb 2020 #2
Perfect! AllyCat Feb 2020 #4
Maybe Sea World has some leftover killer whales they aren't using anymore jberryhill Feb 2020 #12
Can we start with that scam artist on his staff? AllyCat Feb 2020 #29
They didn't have a prayer. CaptYossarian Feb 2020 #3
Moving en masse to Hamm's Ark and Creation Museum? exboyfil Feb 2020 #6
How many of these dumbass places are out there? CaptYossarian Feb 2020 #7
Experience being a theme park performer in Orlando? jberryhill Feb 2020 #13
I was thinking the same thing. n/t rzemanfl Feb 2020 #26
"I was crucified 125 times! klook Feb 2020 #34
Apparently the "Noah's Ark Experience" is also on hard times as well. NurseJackie Feb 2020 #5
Not exactly a mystery for the cause of that one... JHB Feb 2020 #31
Poor planning. The town got screwed, though. NurseJackie Feb 2020 #33
Why doesn't Jesus save them? Cartoonist Feb 2020 #8
WWJD? A HERETIC I AM Feb 2020 #47
Here's their home page and link to a promotional video NurseJackie Feb 2020 #9
Bring the kids! Family fun!! Crucifixions Daily!!! hatrack Feb 2020 #10
You know, that sort of entertainment used to draw a crowd back in the day jberryhill Feb 2020 #14
See also: Branson, Oberammergau hatrack Feb 2020 #15
No, I meant the real thing jberryhill Feb 2020 #19
True! Wasn't sure if you mean tthe 1800s or the -1800s . . . hatrack Feb 2020 #20
"Are there any *****WOMEN***** here today?" A HERETIC I AM Feb 2020 #48
just another sunday at the baptist church I went to nt msongs Feb 2020 #50
so did lynchings Nature Man Feb 2020 #18
Oh, dear. peacefreak2.0 Feb 2020 #11
Maybe Mike Huckabee will make room for them on his show Lars39 Feb 2020 #16
They prefer the term, Raptured, thank you nobuddy Feb 2020 #17
Dammit jcgoldie Feb 2020 #21
Sorry folks are losing their pay checks vlyons Feb 2020 #22
Holy shit. gibraltar72 Feb 2020 #23
Soon to be yet another shut-down theme park. MineralMan Feb 2020 #24
Interesting stuff at Wikipedia TreadSoftly Feb 2020 #25
What no miracles? Historic NY Feb 2020 #27
Ha! NurseJackie Feb 2020 #35
"... daily crucifixion performances..." Turbineguy Feb 2020 #28
"Jeb Bush signed a law that saved the park more than $1 million in taxes" dalton99a Feb 2020 #30
Their new savior, tRump is being crucified on a daily basis by evil Democrats njhoneybadger Feb 2020 #32
god bows done to dump scarytomcat Feb 2020 #46
"Hmmm. Maybe if we have a Spanish Inquisition reenactment twice a day?" lpbk2713 Feb 2020 #36
Too bad. llmart Feb 2020 #37
Thank God. Goodheart Feb 2020 #38
I'm sure... 3catwoman3 Feb 2020 #39
God will provide Demonaut Feb 2020 #40
another piece of property onethatcares Feb 2020 #41
tRump will create bread and fishes.......and paper towels..... KY_EnviroGuy Feb 2020 #42
They have the best Wolf Nipple Chips lame54 Feb 2020 #43
They're lovely. NurseJackie Feb 2020 #51
Ah shit. I will miss their dinosaur steaks with fries. pwb Feb 2020 #44
I'm sure that Jesus would just love seeing his death as a cheesy tourist attraction. Initech Feb 2020 #49
They should just kill it off packman Feb 2020 #52
Bill Maher had a hilarious segment there in Religious Bradshaw3 Feb 2020 #53
Atheists tour the ark.. dewsgirl Feb 2020 #54
I lived in Orlando when this place was built and it amazes me it lasted this long. dameatball Feb 2020 #55
OMG the Bronze age will collapse. defacto7 Feb 2020 #56
I'm sure that Jesus would just love seeing his death as a cheesy tourist attraction. Initech Feb 2020 #57
"a severance package plan" keithbvadu2 Feb 2020 #59
Surprised they allow dancers... meadowlander Feb 2020 #60
You'd think God would keep them afloat, right? sakabatou Feb 2020 #61
 

jberryhill

(62,444 posts)
2. They have their own Coliseum...
Wed Feb 19, 2020, 09:25 AM
Feb 2020

...they should get some lions, increase the ticket price, and put on one spectacular final show.

 

jberryhill

(62,444 posts)
12. Maybe Sea World has some leftover killer whales they aren't using anymore
Wed Feb 19, 2020, 09:48 AM
Feb 2020

Throwing Christians to Orcas would be a cool update.

CaptYossarian

(6,448 posts)
3. They didn't have a prayer.
Wed Feb 19, 2020, 09:33 AM
Feb 2020

Are these people seriously going to put this place on their resume?

One of the things HR looks for is chemistry among workers--trying to find a perfect fit. "Oh yeah, I was Jesus Christ for three years."

Maybe John the Baptist can use his experience washing dishes.

 

jberryhill

(62,444 posts)
13. Experience being a theme park performer in Orlando?
Wed Feb 19, 2020, 09:49 AM
Feb 2020

Of course they would put that on a resumé relevant to the entertainment industry.

JHB

(37,166 posts)
31. Not exactly a mystery for the cause of that one...
Wed Feb 19, 2020, 11:05 AM
Feb 2020

It's located about halfway between Cincinnati, OH and Lexington, KY, about an hour away from each. It's doesn't exactly get any "as long as we're in the area, let's visit the Ark" traffic, the way the other one tried to benefit from proximity to Disneyworld.

Unless your whole plan was to visit the Ark, there's no particular reason to go there, and there's not enough people willing to do that to support it.

Cartoonist

(7,326 posts)
8. Why doesn't Jesus save them?
Wed Feb 19, 2020, 09:43 AM
Feb 2020

He can turn ten dollar bills into one hundred dollar bills, just like water into wine.

NurseJackie

(42,862 posts)
9. Here's their home page and link to a promotional video
Wed Feb 19, 2020, 09:45 AM
Feb 2020
https://holylandexperience.com/

I couldn't help but recall Mel Brooks and wondering if he could have come up with a song-and-dance stage-show number that may have helped...

A HERETIC I AM

(24,382 posts)
48. "Are there any *****WOMEN***** here today?"
Wed Feb 19, 2020, 02:28 PM
Feb 2020


That was apparently the first scene they filmed.

“You’re only making it worse for yourself.”

“WORSE? How could it be worse? JEHOVAH! JEHOVAH! JEHOVAH!

A fucking masterpiece, and the fact that it pissed off so many Christians who watched the point fly RIGHT over their heads, is immensely satisfying.

vlyons

(10,252 posts)
22. Sorry folks are losing their pay checks
Wed Feb 19, 2020, 10:48 AM
Feb 2020

But really? I'm so tired of the RW fundies using religion to acquire wealth. Selling tickets to see crucifixion and gladiator re-enactments. I guess wrestling ain't enough for them.

TreadSoftly

(219 posts)
25. Interesting stuff at Wikipedia
Wed Feb 19, 2020, 10:51 AM
Feb 2020

The display of antiques was due to a fight over taxes -- display makes the place a museum so tax problem vanished.

They broadcast "Praise the Lord" from there (per Wikipedia) and perhaps that's why the other jobs stay.

Searching for other news to understand: are theme parks in trouble? People have less money? Evangelism losing its appeal?

njhoneybadger

(3,910 posts)
32. Their new savior, tRump is being crucified on a daily basis by evil Democrats
Wed Feb 19, 2020, 11:07 AM
Feb 2020

Jesus just isn't relevant to them anymore. They don't need re-enactments because they're living
"The Holy Land Experience"

lpbk2713

(42,774 posts)
36. "Hmmm. Maybe if we have a Spanish Inquisition reenactment twice a day?"
Wed Feb 19, 2020, 11:15 AM
Feb 2020


"Or maybe the Salem witch trials?"



onethatcares

(16,206 posts)
41. another piece of property
Wed Feb 19, 2020, 12:18 PM
Feb 2020

the tax payers will be on the hook for upkeep and maintenance. At least at the Pirates of the Caribbean dinner show you got to drink beer.

KY_EnviroGuy

(14,500 posts)
42. tRump will create bread and fishes.......and paper towels.....
Wed Feb 19, 2020, 12:46 PM
Feb 2020

for the starving multitudes.

And tRump wine for an additional fee.........

 

packman

(16,296 posts)
52. They should just kill it off
Wed Feb 19, 2020, 03:39 PM
Feb 2020

and see if it comes back after 3 days.

Oh, I'm going to hell for that one.

keithbvadu2

(37,036 posts)
59. "a severance package plan"
Wed Feb 19, 2020, 11:13 PM
Feb 2020

"a severance package plan"

Instead of pay and benefits, we are going to give you... salvation.

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