Kentucky’s ‘Ark Encounter’ Creationist Theme Park Struggles To Stay Afloat [View all]

[MarkCharles]

http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/12/is_kentuckys_ark_encounter_creationist_theme_park_sinking.php

"As LEO Weekly reports, the groundbreaking has been delayed … and delayed. Zovath told TPM he isn’t sure when it will finally happen. With permit issues, it could be several months after the construction is approved before ground would be broken, he said. Ideally, Zovath said, construction would start sometime in 2012.

So far, $4.3 million has been raised for the project. The group hopes to raise $24.5 million in all. That’s quite a ways to go. Some critics of the project have questioned whether it will be ever built. Asked what would happen to the donations if the park never materializes, Zovath couldn’t say. “You’d have to contact donors,” he said. But he’s still optimistic. “It’s going to be a fun project,” he said.

The Ark Encounter is quite a project: it will include a full-sized wooden ark, a “walled city much like what was found in ancient times, a replica of the Tower of Babel with exhibits, a first-century Middle Eastern village” and even outdoor parking. The state of Kentucky has also approved tax incentives to help offset the park’s cost."

"tax incentives"? WTF?