By Tony McVeigh
Frankfort, KY – Answers in Genesis, the group behind the Creation Museum in Petersburg, now envisions an 800-acre Creationist theme park, complete with a full-scale replica of Noah's Ark. Gov. Beshear is promising state tax incentives for the $125 million project and sees no problem with providing tax dollars to a theme park with a religious theme.
" "We have reviewed this from a legal standpoint and the application complies with our laws. There is nothing even remotely unconstitutional about a for-profit organization coming in and investing a $150 million to create jobs in Kentucky and bring tourism to Kentucky. The law doesn't allow us to discriminate about the entertainment subject matter of theme parks, as long as it's legal and in good taste."
Investors in the Ark Encounter theme park are looking at land in Grant County, along I-75. They believe the park, which will open in the spring of 2014, will draw 1.6 million visitors annually and create 900 jobs.