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Ark Encounter is a Christian theme park that opened in Williamstown, Kentucky, United States, in 2016.[2][3] The centerpiece of the park is a large representation of Noah's Ark, based on the Genesis flood narrative contained in the Bible. It is 510 feet (155.4 m) long, 85 feet (25.9 m) wide, and 51 feet (15.5 m) high.

Key Information

Ark Encounter is operated by Answers in Genesis (AiG), a young Earth creationist organization that also operates the Creation Museum 45 miles (70 km) away in Petersburg, Kentucky.[2] Australian creationist and CEO of AiG Ken Ham founded the park.[4] The theme park promotes faith-based, pseudoscientific young Earth creationist beliefs about the age of the universe, age of the Earth, and co-existence of humans and non-avian dinosaurs.[3][5][6][7]

After feasibility studies projected that the park would be a boon to the state's tourism industry, Ark Encounter received tax incentives from the city, county, and state to induce its construction. This drew criticism from groups concerned with the separation of church and state.[8] A dispute over AiG's hiring practices was adjudicated in U.S. Federal court, which found in 2016 that the organization could require Ark Encounter employees to sign a statement of faith as a condition of their employment, prompting criticism of the park's discriminatory hiring practices.[2]

Visitor experience

[edit]

The ark contains 132 bays, each standing about 18 feet (5.5 m) high, arranged into three decks.[9][10] Visitors enter on the lowest deck and move between decks on ramps constructed through the center of the ark.[11] Bays on the first deck contain models of some animals that AiG believes could have been on the ark.[12] The models are meant to represent "kinds" of animals, which AiG says gave rise to modern animals after the flood.[13] Prior to the Ark's opening, media outlets reported it would feature models of dinosaurs and "Biblical unicorns".[14][15]

Deck 2: A live animal exhibit alternates between llamas, alpacas and donkeys from day to day.

The second deck contains more animal models, along with dioramas of Noah's workshop and a blacksmith.[12] Bays on the third deck contain displays presenting what AiG believes might have happened inside and outside the ark during the flood.[12] Displays in three of the bays include artifacts from the Green Collection and promote the Museum of the Bible, a Washington, D.C. attraction constructed by the Green family, who donated to the Ark Encounter's construction.[16]

RoadsideAmerica.com rated the displays depicting the sinful state of the world before the flood, including a priest sacrificing an infant to an unnamed snake god and people fighting a giant and a dinosaur in a gladiatorial arena, as among the most memorable exhibits in the attraction.[17] Visiting scientists, however, find the juxtaposition of humans and dinosaurs not only ridiculous, but also harmful to young guests. In an interview discussing her tour of the Ark Encounter, Bailey Harris states that, while she was impressed with the size of the attraction, she found it “all much sillier than I expected. The dinosaurs that are everywhere in displays with humans, like in the Flintstones, gets old really fast...The antiscience represented along with this magnificence is so dangerous to children...It is designed to overwhelm children with its size and beauty to then present untruths from beginning to end.”[18]

The ark is held 15 feet (4.6 m) off the ground by a series of concrete towers. The starboard side of the hull merges into three 80-foot (24 m) masonry towers containing stairwells, elevators, and restrooms.[9]

Besides the Ark Encounter itself, there are a handful of other attractions within the theme park, including Emzara's Kitchen, a two-story, buffet-style restaurant with a capacity of 1,500 guests, making it one of the largest restaurants in the world.[19][20] The park also has ziplining and a virtual reality theater.[21] There is also a zoo, called Ararat Ridge Zoo, on the grounds.[2][22][23][21] Live animals are sometimes brought into the Ark exhibit from the zoo.[24]

History

[edit]
A scale model of the Ark on deck 1

Planning

[edit]

On December 1, 2010, the young Earth creationism group Answers in Genesis (AiG) and the for-profit corporation Ark Encounter, LLC announced that they would partner to build a theme park called Ark Encounter that, as they claimed, would "lend credence to the biblical account of a catastrophic flood and to dispel doubts that Noah could have fit two of every kind of animal onto a 500-foot-long ark".[25] The partners projected that the fully completed park would cost $150 million, which they intended to raise privately.[26]

Under a program enacted by the Kentucky General Assembly in 2010, Ark Encounter investors applied for Economic Development Incentives that would allow them to recoup 25 percent of the project's construction costs by keeping a portion of the park's sales taxes during its first ten years of operation.[27] Receipt of the incentives would be contingent upon Ark Encounter meeting established performance goals upon opening.[28] A press release from Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear's office cited a feasibility study commissioned by Ark Encounter, LLC and conducted by consumer research corporation America's Research Group Limited, Inc.[28]

The company had also conducted the feasibility study for AiG's Ark Encounter and an attitudinal survey included in Ken Ham's book Already Gone; ARC founder C. Britt Beemer was credited as a co-author of the book.[28] This projected the park could employ 900 people, attract as many as 1.6 million visitors in its first year of operation, and generate a $214 million economic impact for the region.[25][28] The group selected an 800-acre (320 ha) parcel near Interstate 75 in Grant County, Kentucky, near the city of Williamstown and about 45 miles (70 km) from AiG's Creation Museum in Petersburg, Kentucky.[29]

The city of Williamstown designated a 1.25-mile (2.01 km) radius around the Ark Encounter site as a tax increment financing district, meaning 75 percent of sales and property taxes collected in the district would return to Ark Encounter for a period of 30 years.[30] Employees working in the district would also pay a 2 percent employment tax over the same time frame that would go to the Ark Encounter.[30]

The Grant County Industrial Development Authority paid Ark Encounter, LLC $195,000 to compensate the corporation for the fact that word of their interest in building the attraction in Grant County had leaked early, causing land prices to double in the area.[31] Further, the Grant County Fiscal Court discounted the sale price of 100 acres (40 ha) of the site to influence the final selection.[31]

Citing the proffered incentives, Ark Encounter, LLC made the Grant County site their final selection and scheduled groundbreaking for August 2011.[32] Plans for additional phases of the park include a model of the Tower of Babel, along with replicas of an ancient walled city and a first-century Middle Eastern village.[33][34]

Purchase of site

[edit]
A view down middle open area

Ark Encounter, LLC finalized the purchase of the entire Ark Encounter site in February 2012.[35] At that time, AiG announced the decision to construct the park in phases, saying it had raised only $5 million[36] of the $24 million[37] needed to begin construction. The first phase included a full-scale model of Noah's Ark and a petting zoo.[38] Plans for five subsequent phases included replicas of an ancient walled city, a first-century Middle Eastern village, and the Tower of Babel; an aviary; and a 500-seat special effects theater.[34][38][39]

Ken Ham, the founder of Answers in Genesis, the group behind Ark Encounter

In December 2013, the city of Williamstown offered $62 million using tax increment financing of bonds to jump-start construction on the Ark Encounter.[40] The unrated bonds were backed by the Ark Encounter's projected future revenues, but the city was not liable for repaying them in the event that the revenues did not materialize.[40] At the time of the offering, Ark Encounter, LLC had raised approximately $14 million toward construction of the park.[40]

A group of atheist objectors to the Ark Encounter attempted to disrupt the offering by registering for the sale themselves and conducting a public relations campaign against the bonds.[16] In early January 2014, only $26.5 million in bonds had been sold; if at least $55 million in bonds were not sold by February 6, all of the bonds would be automatically redeemed.[41]

On February 27, 2014, AiG founder Ken Ham announced that his February 4 debate on the viability of creationism with TV personality Bill Nye "the Science Guy" spurred bond sales, and that the Ark Encounter raised enough money to begin construction.[42] AiG officials said the final cost of the park at its opening exceeded $100 million, including $62 million from the Williamstown bond offering and $36 million from individual donations.[2] The second phase of the park construction was projected to commence in 2018 or 2019.[39]

The 2014 Kentucky General Assembly allocated $1.15 million to Grant County for road improvements to accommodate the heavier traffic expected to be generated by the Ark Encounter.[43] The Assembly also projected the need for $9.1 million in 2017 to improve the Interstate 75 interchange at Williamstown, but this allocation was beyond the scope of the state's two-year road funding plan.[43] The 2016 General Assembly allocated $10 million to create a new interchange between Kentucky Route 36 (KY 36) and Interstate 75.[44]

Until the improvements are completed, AiG is paying for workers to direct traffic on KY 36 near the Ark Encounter.[44] After the initial allocation by the state, AiG invested $500,000 of its own money into improving KY 36; this, and better-than-expected traffic flow, led to the Kentucky Department of Transportation scaling back the proposed improvements, awarding a $3.5 million contract in December 2017.[45] The project was projected to be completed November 2, 2018.[45]

In July 2014, with the approved tax incentives set to expire if work on the park had not begun, Ark Encounter withdrew the approved application and filed a new one to receive incentives on the $73 million first phase.[46] The new application required a new feasibility study to be conducted.[47] AiG paid for the study, again conducted by Hunden Strategic Partners, which projected a more conservative 400,000 visitors a year, 787 new jobs, and a $40 million economic impact.[47]

Shortly after the application was given preliminary approval by the Kentucky Tourism Development Finance Authority, Kentucky House Speaker Greg Stumbo said he believed the incentives to be unconstitutional. He added that he expected the state to be sued and lose a costly lawsuit over the issue.[48]

Design and construction

[edit]
A view from near the bow of the Ark Encounter with visitors to show scale

Cary Summers, who headed Herschend Family Entertainment from 1992 to 1998, was hired as the lead consultant for the Ark Encounter.[27] Patrick Marsh, who helped design exhibits for the Creation Museum and previously designed attractions for Universal Studios Florida, was part of the planning and design team.[49] The Troyer Group, a construction firm in Mishawaka, Indiana, was contracted to oversee construction of the ark, which was constructed by Amish builders using traditional timber framing techniques.[29][50] In total, over 1,000 craftsmen were employed in the ark's construction.[51] As possible, board pulling was used rather than steaming. Steel nails were used to conform with building code regulations.[1]

Lighting at the Ark Encounter is designed to resemble oil lamps.

While the builders originally planned to hold the ark together with wooden pegs, modern building codes required the builders to use steel fasteners, thus 95 tons of metal plates and bolts were used to connect the wood together.[52] The electric lighting inside was designed to look like oil lamps.[9] According to AiG, the Ark Encounter is the largest timber frame structure in the United States.[2]

AiG considered twelve different possible lengths for the biblical cubit, and AiG chose to use a length of 20.1 inches (51 cm); this produced plans for an ark measuring 510 feet (155 m) long, 85 feet (26 m) wide, and 51 feet (16 m) high.[53] The Ark Encounter consists of approximately 3,300,000 board feet (7,800 m3) of wood.[1] The framing of the ark consists mostly of Engelmann spruce, while the exterior is made of pine; some of the logs were as long as 50 feet (15 m) long and 36 inches (91 cm) in diameter.[54]

The park's structures and infrastructure were constructed using environmentally friendly Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certified methods, including geothermal heating, rainwater capture, active and passive solar heating.[55] The Washington Post wrote that the decision to use such techniques was exemplary of "a fundamental shift in how religiously conservative Christians think of two basic biblical ideas: dominion and stewardship".[55] Hydroponic gardens produce lettuce to feed the animals housed at the attraction's petting zoo, as well as the landscape plants for the Ark Encounter and Creation Museum.[56]

Construction crews began clearing timber from the site late in 2012 in order to remove the shagbark hickory trees before the endangered Indiana bats migrated to the area to nest in them.[57] Much of the wood used to build the Ark Encounter was sourced from renewable forests or trees infested by beetles.[58] During construction, former President Jimmy Carter toured the Ark Encounter, accepting an invitation from LeRoy Troyer, president of the Troyer Group.[59]

Opening

[edit]

Ark Encounter opened on July 7, 2016, a date (7/7) chosen to correspond with Genesis 7:7: "And Noah and his sons and his wife and his sons' wives entered the ark to escape the waters of the flood."[60] AiG also announced that, for the first 40 days and 40 nights of Ark Encounter's operation – an allusion to the inundation period (rain and subterranean hydrological eruptions) of the biblical flood – it would extend its hours of operation, offering day and evening tickets.[61] On July 5, AiG held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Ark Encounter, during which members of the media and an estimated 7,000 donors to the project were given an early tour of the ark.[62] According to the park's publicists, there were 30,000 visitors in its first six days of operation (an average of 5,000 per day).[63]

A monument erected by the AiG board of directors just prior to Ark Encounter's opening, with signage referencing a similar monument from Joshua 4

Tri-State Freethinkers planned to protest the Ark Encounter's opening with a nearby billboard depicting people drowning around Noah's Ark with the caption "Genocide and Incest Park: Celebrating 2,000 years of myths", but billboard companies Lamar Advertising Company and Event Advertising and Promotions LLC rejected the design.[64] The Courier-Journal reported that approximately 150 opponents of the Ark Encounter gathered near the highway exit to protest the park on its opening day.[22] Eric Hovind of Creation Today led a counter-protest during which he offered to pay for any of the ark protesters to tour the ark; the Northern Kentucky Tribune reported that 21 anti-ark protesters accepted Hovind's offer.[65]

The next day, popular science communicator Bill Nye accepted Ken Ham's invitation to tour the Ark Encounter,[66] and they had an informal debate as they toured the structure.[67] Nye stated, "It's all very troubling. You have hundreds of school kids there who have already been indoctrinated and who have been brainwashed. (...) This is about the absolutely wrong idea that the Earth is 6,000 years old that's alarming to me." Earlier in the debate, Ham stated, "My biggest concern is you're teaching generations of young people that they're just animals."[6][68] Footage from Nye's visit was subsequently included in the documentary film Bill Nye: Science Guy, which was released in 2017.[69]

The Freedom From Religion Foundation, an organization that advocates for the separation of church and state, sent letters to over 1,000 public school districts in Kentucky, Tennessee, Ohio, Indiana and West Virginia warning them not to organize field trips to the Ark Encounter, arguing that such trips would "expose children to religious proselytizing in violation of the constitutional separation of church and state."[70][71]

Grant County, Kentucky Education Commissioner Stephen Pruitt responded that approval of field trips is a decision of local school boards but that such trips should be directly related to curriculum. He said it is not appropriate for "outside third parties to dictate field trip selections."[72] Contending that FFRF was incorrect in their assertion, Ham posted on his blog that he would encourage public school groups to visit the ark by offering admission of $1 per child and no charge for accompanying teachers for the remainder of 2016.[73]

Subsequent events

[edit]
The Ark Encounter at night, December 2021

The Tri-State Freethinkers has protested annually at the Ark Encounter on the anniversary of its opening, citing its hiring practices, anti-evolution teachings, and acceptance of state tax incentives as causes for protestors' concerns.[74] Local media coverage estimated the size of the 2018 protest to be between 120 and 200 people.[74]

In December 2016, for the holiday season, AiG lit the Ark with rainbow colors, the purpose being to "reclaim the symbol from the gay rights movement" that had been established as a symbol in 1994 and remind viewers of the Noahic covenant.[75][76] In February 2017, Ken Ham announced AiG would permanently continue the rainbow lighting.[77] Permanent lights were installed in July 2017.[78][79] AiG also plans to open a "Rainbow Garden" near the petting zoo where flowers create a rainbow display.[80]

In November 2017, construction began on a 2,500-seat theater on the park's grounds. The theater was originally projected to be completed in time to host the "Equipping Families to Stand" conference, scheduled for July 18, 2018, but construction has been delayed, and the building was subsequently projected to open before the end of 2018.[80][81] AiG also announced a new children's play area scheduled to open in spring 2019 and an expansion to the petting zoo, projected to open by mid-2019.[80]

The Ark Encounter's dispute with the FFRF that began upon the former's opening continued, with the latter sending letters to 1,000 school districts surrounding the attraction after AiG offered free admission to school trips.[82][83]

In May 2019, Ark Encounter filed a federal lawsuit against its five insurance carriers for not covering nearly $1 million in damages from roadway failure subsequent to rain.[84] According to the lawsuit, an access road was damaged by heavy rains in 2017 and 2018, which caused a landslide. Insurance companies cited an exclusion for correcting design deficiencies or faulty workmanship. The suit asked for compensatory and punitive damages.[84][85] The ark itself was not damaged in the incident, and the attraction remained open to visitors.[85][86] The insurance company, Allied World, applied to separate the "breach-of-contract" claims from the "bad-faith claims" but the court rejected the request. The case was settled in August 2020 when lawyers for both sides requested that the case be dismissed. Settlement details were not made public.[87]

Pursuant to an executive order from Kentucky governor Andy Beshear closing all non-essential businesses in the state, Ark Encounter was temporarily closed on March 17, 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic.[88] During the closure, AiG staff conducted events on Facebook Live, but no visitors were allowed in the park, and many of its staff members were temporarily laid off.[88][89] After Beshear lit the governor's mansion with green lights as a show of solidarity and compassion for the victims of COVID-19, AiG lit the Ark Encounter green as well.[88] Upon reopening on June 8, AiG limited the number of visitors allowed in the park to one-third of its capacity to facilitate social distancing and observed other sanitation guidelines recommended by the Commonwealth of Kentucky.[89][90][91]

In August 2020, Ark Encounter officials announced it would host a Christian music festival the following year that would last "40 days and 40 nights."[92][93] Also in August 2020, Ark Encounter opened a new $3 million virtual reality experience called the "Truth Traveler".[94]

In July 2021, Ark Encounter announced expansion plans. These plans included a Tower of Babel attraction, an indoor scale model of what Jerusalem may have looked like during the time of Jesus, and a themed carousel.[95][96][97] According to Ham, the Tower of Babel attraction is intended to confront racism by showing that humanity is descended from a common ancestor (monogenism).[98]

In the media

[edit]
View of the Ark Encounter from the exterior ground level, October 2016

On October 22, 2016, the Ark Encounter hosted the premiere of evangelist Ray Comfort's film The Atheist Delusion.[99][100]

Ozzy Osbourne and his son, Jack, visited the Ark Encounter in April 2017 to film an episode of their reality television series Ozzy & Jack's World Detour.[101] The episode, entitled "Kentucky Fried Osbournes", aired on A&E on November 29, 2017.[101]

Ark Encounter was designated the "Sight of the Week" for January 1–7, 2018, by Doug Kirby's RoadsideAmerica.com.[17] The site gave Ark Encounter its highest rating ("The Best"), noting, "the Ark is an attraction that should be visited – if only because it's unlikely that you'll ever visit anything else like it."[17] The review characterized the ark as "a very nuts-and-bolts American Ark, with Noah and his clan in the mold of self-sufficient Pilgrims and innovative pioneers" (emphasis in original).[17]

On February 17, 2020, PBS aired a documentary about the Ark Encounter entitled We Believe in Dinosaurs. The filmmakers stated that their intention was to produce "a non-judgmental look at the Ark Encounter and its history", but upon release, Ken Ham called the film "an agenda-driven propaganda piece that does not rise to the level of a real documentary".[102] Filmmakers Monica Long Ross and Clayton Brown followed the storyline of a "religious organization creating their own alternative science in a legitimate looking museum."[103]

The Ark Encounter was chosen as the Best Religious Museum in the 2020 USA Today/10Best.com Readers Choice Awards. Its sister attraction, the Creation Museum, was ranked second.[104][105][106] Polling for the award was halted during the COVID-19 pandemic, but resumed in 2023, when the Ark Encounter and Creation Museum were again voted first and second, respectively, in the Best Religious Museum category.[107]

Attendance

[edit]

AiG initially predicted yearly attendance for the attraction of 1.4–2.2 million people. After a year of operation, AiG reported attendance of about 1 million, attributing the lower number to opening in the middle of tourist season.[108][109][110]

On February 24, 2017, Executive Director of the Grant County Chamber of Commerce Jamie Baker stated that the Ark had drawn additional tourism to the area, and that the challenge now was to expand accommodation and other local amenities in order to convert this into economic growth for the county.[111] In March, the Northern Kentucky Convention and Visitors Bureau presented the Ark Encounter with its Star of Tourism award for 2016.[112]

Bureau President Eric Summe reported a $23 million increase in visitor spending in nearby Boone, Kenton, and Campbell counties in 2016 over 2015, the year that the region hosted the Major League Baseball All-Star Game; Summe attributed a large part of the increase in spending and hotel occupancy to the opening of the Ark Encounter and an expansion of its sister attraction, AiG's Creation Museum.[113] In June 2017, Mayor Jim Wells of Dry Ridge, Kentucky stated that the Ark Encounter had a positive effect on the town, with hotel occupancy rates increasing from 60 to 98 percent since the opening of the attraction.[114]

In July 2018, Nashville-based Athena Hospitality Group broke ground on a hotel and restaurant development in Dry Ridge, citing the need for more accommodations for Ark Encounter visitors as the motivation.[115] The planned development will accommodate three hotels and three restaurants, with the first hotel, an 80-room Comfort Suites projected to open in the third quarter of 2019.[115]

At the end of Ark Encounter's second year, July 2017 to June 2018, AiG reported an attendance of 1 million visitors for the year. County tax revenue (called "safety assessment") from paid ticket sales reflected approximately 860,000 paid admissions. The balance were young children and people with long-term passes, who did not require paid ticket entry.[116][117] Because the city of Williamstown based their annual budget on AiG's attendance projections, the city was forced to readjust its budget downward when the number of paying guests fell short of projected.[118]

In 2020, Williamstown Mayor Rick Skinner noted that Ark attendance had been averaging about ten percent higher than the city had forecast until its temporary closure due to COVID-19.[89] At the end of the fiscal year, revenue from the safety assessment fell twenty percent short of projections.[89]

In 2021, Ark Encounter returned to its 2019 attendance numbers and set record attendance numbers for certain days during the summer. Local businesses were booming as a result of increased tourism to Ark Encounter and Creation Museum.[95] In April 2021, the Ark Encounter and Creation Museum were preparing to welcome their 10 millionth visitor altogether.[119]

Tax incentives controversies

[edit]

Organizations dedicated to supporting the separation of church and state were divided on the question of providing tax incentives for the Ark Encounter. Barry W. Lynn of Americans United for Separation of Church and State opined that "The government should not be giving tax incentives for religious projects. Religion should be supported by voluntary donations, not the government."[25] Bill Sharp, the staff attorney for the American Civil Liberties Union of Kentucky, replied that "Courts have found that giving such tax exemptions on a nondiscriminatory basis does not violate the establishment clause, even when the tax exemption goes to a religious purpose."[25]

Edwin Kagin of American Atheists brought up the difficulty of litigating against the incentives provided by state laws, saying, "The legislation is so drafted that they will give this incentive to any organization that is going to increase tourism in Kentucky, and there's no question whatsoever that this group will."[49] The editorial board of the Lexington Herald-Leader wrote that "Ark Encounters [sic] is a private company seeking to make a profit off of a biblical theme. As such, it seems as entitled to apply for incentives from promised profits as any other private, for-profit company in Kentucky."[120] Still, the board was critical of using the incentives to attract low-paying jobs and to facilitate construction of an attraction it characterized as hostile "to science, knowledge and education", which could be off-putting to "the kind of employers that will provide good-paying jobs with a future".[120]

Governor Steve Beshear favored the incentives, stating "The people of Kentucky didn't elect me governor to debate religion. They elected me governor to create jobs," Beshear said, adding, "There's nothing even remotely unconstitutional about a for-profit organization coming in and investing $150 million to create jobs in Kentucky and bring tourism to Kentucky."[25] Responding to an open records request by the Lexington Herald-Leader, Beshear's office later admitted it had not seen the feasibility study cited in its press release, and an administration representative said that the state tourism department would have to conduct its own study in order for the park to be eligible for the incentives.[28]

The state-commissioned study by Hunden Strategic Partners and paid for by Ark Encounter, LLC, projected that the park would draw nearly 1.4 million visitors a year, but could require the state to widen the Interstate 75 interchange at Williamstown, at an additional cost to the state of about $11 million.[32][121] In an editorial in late December 2010, The Courier-Journal questioned the potential cost to the state government of the project, including highway upgrades and the likelihood that increases to hospitality industry infrastructure would seek further subsidies.[122] In May 2011, the Kentucky Tourism Development Finance Authority voted unanimously to grant incentives of up to $43.1 million to Ark Encounter, LLC. for the project, by then projected to cost $172 million.[32][121]

In June 2017, Grant County Judge Executive Stephen P. Wood told the Lexington Herald-Leader that the tax incentives offered to the Ark Encounter were "a really bad deal for taxpayers".[123] Although the valuation of the property within Ark Encounter's tax increment financing district increased from $1.3 million in 2011 to $55 million in 2017, under the terms of its deal with Ark Encounter, the county only retained $63,000 of the $250,000 in property taxes collected within the district, with the rest returning to the park.[123] School taxes were exempted from the deal, and Grant County Schools saw a 58% increase in property tax revenue from 2016 to 2017.[123]

In April 2017, the city of Williamstown implemented a "safety assessment" of 50 cents per ticket sold at the Ark Encounter, the Williamstown Family Fun Park, and Main Street Gardens to upgrade the city's emergency equipment to sufficiently serve the attractions.[124] AiG maintained that, as the largest of the three attractions, the assessment placed an undue share of the cost on Ark Encounter.[125] After Williamstown officials rejected AiG's request to cap its share of the cost, first at $350,000 and later at $500,000, Ark Encounter LLC sold the main parcel of land for the attraction to its non-profit affiliate, Crosswater Canyon, for $10 and requested an exemption from the fee based on their status as a religious entity.[125][126] County officials rejected that request.[125]

In 2020, the Grant County News and Express reported that the Williamstown Family Fun Park had closed, and Main Street Gardens had become non-profit, exempting it from paying the safety assessment and leaving the Ark Encounter as the only business impacted.[127] The assessment generated $432,776 in revenue for the city in the 2018–19 fiscal year, equaling 865,553 paid tickets for the fiscal year.[127] The News and Express noted that this figure excluded children under 5 years old and lifetime members of the Ark Encounter, since neither group requires a paid ticket to enter.[127]

The paper also noted that, in 2020, the Ark Encounter changed its pricing to allow free admission to children under 10 who visit the attraction with a paying adult; Williamstown Mayor Rick Skinner said that he believed this would attract more visitors to the park, offsetting any potential loss in city revenue from tickets that would have been sold to children between 6 and 10 years old.[127]

On July 18, 2017, the state of Kentucky notified Ark Encounter that the sale of the property to Crosswater Canyon put them in breach of their agreement for $18 million in tax incentives.[128] Three days later, Crosswater Canyon reversed the sale, transferring the land back to Ark Encounter, LLC for $10.[128] On July 25, Ark Encounter said they would pay the safety assessment and had been collecting it on tickets sold beginning July 1.[125]

In a public statement, AiG spokesman Mark Looy said, "The filing for an exemption as a religious non-profit (as permitted in the ordinance), was done in an attempt to get the county to change the wording as it currently stands, which would exempt the Ark Encounter. It was not to avoid paying its fair share, as some articles have suggested."[125] AiG gave no official explanation for the transfer of land to or from Crosswater Canyon, which Williamstown officials had feared could be an attempt to avoid paying property taxes.[125][128] The Grant County News and Express reported in December 2017 that the safety assessment had generated approximately $213,000 for the city in four months, with less than $500 of that amount being paid by attractions other than Ark Encounter.[129]

In its first year of operation, Ark Encounter generated over $2.28 million in sales taxes for the state of Kentucky, a figure which excluded the period during which the attraction was owned by Crosswater Canyon.[130] Ark Encounter received a rebate of $1.8 million of the collected taxes, the maximum amount allowed for the year under terms of its agreement with the state.[130]

Hiring policies controversy

[edit]
An Ark Encounter display describing the Genesis creation narrative
An Ark Encounter display promoting a relatively rapid formation of the Grand Canyon as a result of the Genesis flood
Ark Encounter employees must sign a statement that they agree with tenets of young Earth creationism such as the Genesis creation narrative and flood geology.

Americans United for the Separation of Church and State petitioned the Kentucky Tourism Development Finance Authority in August 2014 to withdraw its preliminary approval of tax incentives for the Ark Encounter because of AiG's hiring practices, which required all applicants to profess Christianity and sign a statement of faith attesting to their beliefs in young Earth creationism and that homosexuality is sinful among other requirements.[131][132] Mike Zovath, AiG's coordinator for the Ark Encounter project, countered that the Ark Encounter's hiring policies had not been written yet and that the hiring policies of AiG should not be a factor because Ark Encounter, LLC was the entity receiving the incentives.[131]

In response to Americans United's petition, a spokesman for the Kentucky Tourism, Arts and Heritage Cabinet said, "As a condition of any incentive program, all projects must follow all state and federal laws, including all laws related to hiring."[131] Following Americans United's petition, the Lexington Herald-Leader editorial board also called for the incentives to be rescinded.[133]

In October, Kentucky Tourism Arts and Heritage Cabinet Secretary Bob Stewart wrote to AiG requesting "express written assurance from Ark Encounter that it will not discriminate in any way on the basis of religion in hiring for the project".[134] Citing the Supreme Court's decision in Burwell v. Hobby Lobby, which found that individuals had the right "to run their businesses as for-profit corporations in the manner required by their religious beliefs", AiG refused, insisting that Ark Encounter had the right to "include religion as a criteria [sic] in its future hiring decisions".[135][136]

In December 2014, Stewart announced that the incentives would be withdrawn, because the facility was to be used for religious indoctrination instead of as a tourist attraction, and because of complaints of hiring discrimination.[137] During the Christmas holidays, AiG conducted a billboard public relations campaign in support of the project in several metropolitan areas in Kentucky and a digital billboard in New York City's Times Square.[138]

Ark Encounter LLC, filed a religious discrimination lawsuit against the state in February 2015.[139] Freedom Guard chief counsel Mike Johnson represented AiG for free in the suit, which alleged the state of Kentucky violated Ark Encounter's First Amendment free speech rights by denying the incentives.[139] AiG officials maintained that the incentives, potentially worth $18 million, were not necessary to complete construction of the ark, but they would accelerate the timeline for constructing additional phases of the Ark Encounter.[140] After conservative Matt Bevin was elected to succeed Steve Beshear as governor in November 2015, Kentucky Senate Majority Leader Damon Thayer said he would encourage the new governor's administration to restore the tax incentives and render AiG's lawsuit moot, but Ham insisted that AiG preferred to have the matter adjudicated to set a legal precedent.[141]

On January 25, 2016, Federal Judge Gregory F. Van Tatenhove of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky ruled in favor of AiG in the case of Ark Encounter LLC et al. vs. Bob Stewart et al., ordering the state to commence processing the application for the tax rebate incentives that would become available once the Ark Encounter opened.[142][143] Bevin announced that the state would not appeal Van Tatenhove's decision, and later replaced four of the nine members on the Tourism Development Finance Authority.[30][144] Ark Encounter began advertising to fill 300 to 400 jobs in the park in April 2016; applicants were required to sign a statement of faith before being hired.[145] Two weeks later, the Tourism Development Finance Authority approved the incentives.[8]

See also

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References

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Ark Encounter

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Ark Encounter is a biblically themed attraction in Williamstown, Kentucky, featuring a full-scale replica of Noah's Ark constructed to the dimensions outlined in Genesis 6:15—300 cubits long, 50 cubits wide, and 30 cubits high, interpreted using a cubit length of approximately 20.4 inches, resulting in a structure measuring 510 feet long, 85 feet wide, and 51 feet tall. Developed and operated by the young-Earth creationist ministry Answers in Genesis, the park opened to the public on July 7, 2016, and presents exhibits illustrating the biblical flood narrative as a literal historical event, including depictions of animal kinds, pre-flood society, and ark construction feasibility. The project, which utilized over 3.1 million board feet of timber in its timber-frame design, stands as one of the largest wooden structures globally and serves an evangelistic purpose by affirming scriptural authority against prevailing secular scientific narratives on origins and geology. While praised by supporters for demonstrating the engineering viability of the biblical account, the attraction has drawn opposition from academic and media sources favoring evolutionary models, highlighting ongoing tensions between faith-based literalism and institutional consensus on Earth's history.

Background and Conceptual Foundation

Biblical and Theological Basis

The biblical account in Genesis 6–9 describes God commanding to construct a seaworthy vessel amid widespread human corruption, specifying dimensions of 300 s in length, 50 cubits in width, and 30 cubits in height (approximately 510 feet long, 85 feet wide, and 51 feet high using a cubit of 20.4 inches), divided into three decks with rooms, a , and a window-like opening. This ark was to shelter 's family of eight and pairs of every kind of , along with sevens of clean kinds, from a global flood that would destroy all land-dwelling life outside it as on . The narrative details the flood's onset through "fountains of the great deep" and rain for 40 days, waters prevailing for 150 days and covering all high mountains under the entire heavens by 15 cubits, followed by the ark's resting on the and the gradual receding of waters over a year. Answers in Genesis (AiG), the sponsoring ministry, grounds the Ark Encounter in a literal, historical interpretation of this text within , positing the as a global cataclysm around 4,350 years ago that buried vast layers and reshaped continents through rapid and tectonic upheaval. This framework affirms , rejecting allegorical or local-flood views as compromises that erode Scripture's authority, since the treats the event as factual (e.g., 2 Peter 3:5–6 describes it destroying the world by water). AiG argues that secular uniformitarian geology contradicts the text's plain reading, which demands a supernatural scale unattainable by localized flooding, and that animal "kinds" (broader than modern species) entered viable juvenility via divine oversight, enabling post-flood repopulation without violating observed patterns. Theologically, the ark exemplifies God's justice against pervasive evil (Genesis 6:5) and provision of through faith-obedience, prefiguring Christ's as the ultimate "ark" from judgment (Hebrews 11:7). AiG's founder states the replica combats worldview erosion by showing Genesis historicity bolsters gospel credibility, as denying a literal parallels rejecting resurrection historicity, both hinging on God's Word over human autonomy. The exhibit thus evangelizes by immersing visitors in this foundation, urging reconciliation with biblical chronology to sustain Christian doctrine amid cultural skepticism.

Organizational Origins with Answers in Genesis

Answers in Genesis (AiG) was founded in 1993 by Ken Ham, Mark Looy, and Mike Zovath in the United States as a nonprofit Christian apologetics ministry dedicated to upholding the authority and inerrancy of the Bible from its first verse, particularly emphasizing a young-earth creationist interpretation of Genesis. Ham, an Australian native born on October 20, 1951, had earlier co-founded the Creation Science Foundation in Australia in 1979 after transitioning from science teaching to full-time creation evangelism. After relocating to the United States in 1987 to work with the Institute for Creation Research, Ham established AiG as an independent entity in 1993 following philosophical differences with ICR, aiming to more aggressively promote biblical creationism against evolutionary teachings in churches, schools, and media. The organization's mission centers on defending the literal historical accounts in Genesis 1–11, including a six-day creation approximately 6,000 years ago and a global Flood, as foundational to Christian doctrine and essential for . AiG produces books, videos, seminars, and curricula to equip believers, arguing that compromising on Genesis undermines scriptural authority. In 2005, AiG-US separated from its Australian counterpart (later ) over disagreements on outreach strategies and doctrinal emphasis, consolidating international efforts under the US branch by 2006. Under Ham's leadership as CEO and president, AiG expanded into physical attractions to illustrate its teachings, opening the in Petersburg, , on May 28, 2007, which drew over 4,000 visitors on its first day. This success prompted the announcement of the Ark Encounter project on , , as a life-size replica of to vividly depict the narrative and counter secular , aligning with AiG's goal of experiential to affirm biblical . The initiative reflects AiG's strategy of using themed exhibits to engage families and youth, fostering belief in the Bible's eyewitness account of origins over naturalistic alternatives.

Planning and Development

Initial Concept and Fundraising (2007–2011)

The concept for the Ark Encounter originated within (AiG), a organization dedicated to promoting a literal interpretation of the Genesis creation account, as a means to educate visitors on the biblical history of and the global . Building on the success of AiG's , which opened in May 2007 and drew over 1.5 million visitors in its first few years, AiG leadership, including founder and CEO , pursued larger-scale initiatives to counter perceived secular influences in education and culture by constructing a full-size replica of the Ark based on dimensions in Genesis 6:15 (300 cubits long, 50 cubits wide, and 30 cubits high). Internal planning for such a project reportedly gained momentum in the late , though public details remained limited until formal announcements. On December 1, 2010, AiG's non-profit subsidiary, Ark Encounter LLC, publicly announced the project alongside Governor in , selecting a 400-acre site in Grant County near Williamstown for the attraction. The announcement projected the Ark as a 510-foot-long timber structure housing exhibits on pre-Flood history, animal care, and post-Flood dispersal, with expectations of 1.6 million annual visitors in the first decade, creating 900 jobs and generating $172 million in local economic impact. AiG emphasized the project's alignment with young-earth creationism, portraying the Ark not as but as a tool for biblical and . Fundraising launched concurrently with the announcement, targeting $24.5 million in private donations specifically for the Ark's , sourced from AiG supporters via online pledges, events, and mail campaigns that offered symbolic sponsorships (e.g., $100 for a wooden peg). By March 14, 2011, contributions exceeded $2 million within three months, reflecting strong backing from AiG's donor base motivated by the organization's mission to uphold scriptural authority against evolutionary narratives. AiG explicitly rejected initial reliance on public funds, stating the project would be self-sustaining through admissions and merchandise, though it pursued state tax rebates under Kentucky's Tourism Development Act for eligible tourism investments. In May 2011, the Tourism Development Finance Authority unanimously approved up to $37 million in future rebates over 10 years, contingent on meeting phased attendance thresholds starting at 1 million visitors annually; AiG projected these would be met without direct taxpayer subsidies, as rebates would derive from new revenue generated by the attraction. By August 2011, donations approached $3.7 million, but AiG urged accelerated giving to meet construction timelines, amid debates over the incentives' given the project's religious focus—critics argued it violated church-state separation, while AiG countered that similar incentives supported secular venues like courses and asserted the Ark's historical-educational value. These efforts laid the groundwork for site preparation, though full funding challenges persisted into later years. In December 2010, (AiG) announced the selection of an 800-acre site in , near Williamstown and Interstate 75, for the Ark Encounter project following a feasibility study that identified it as optimal for accessibility and development potential. Ark Encounter, LLC—a for-profit entity formed by AiG to qualify for state tourism incentives—began acquiring parcels of the property, investing over $6 million by early 2012 to secure the necessary land. The acquisition process culminated on February 16, 2012, when the LLC closed on the final and largest tract, completing the full 800-acre parcel without reported zoning disputes from authorities at that stage. Legal preparations emphasized securing financial incentives under Kentucky's Tourism Development Act of 2007, which provides performance-based rebates of up to 25 percent of sales taxes generated by qualifying tourism projects, contingent on meeting projected attendance and revenue thresholds. On May 19, 2011, the Kentucky Tourism Development Finance Authority unanimously approved Ark Encounter, LLC's application, authorizing potential rebates estimated at up to $43 million over time, though actual disbursements would depend solely on visitor-driven tax revenue rather than direct state appropriations. Locally, on August 9, 2011, the City of Williamstown granted a 75 percent abatement for 30 years on the developed portions of the site to encourage in the . These measures positioned the project for private funding, with AiG committing to raise $125 million independently for construction while leveraging the incentives only if operational success materialized. By 2014, preparations advanced toward groundbreaking, including reapplications for expanded incentives amid fundraising shortfalls, but initial legal frameworks from 2011 remained foundational, enabling site readiness without reliance on taxpayer subsidies beyond rebate mechanisms tied to economic performance. No significant environmental or land-use litigation arose during this period, allowing focus on infrastructure planning off I-75.

Design and Construction

Architectural and Engineering Design

The Ark Encounter's central feature, a life-size replica of , adheres to the dimensions specified in Genesis 6:15, measuring 510 feet (155 meters) in length, 85 feet (26 meters) in width, and 51 feet (16 meters) in height, calculated using a 17-inch for biblical accuracy. Architecturally, the structure was designed by the Troyer Group, an Amish-led firm based in , under principal LeRoy Troyer, who was contracted by in 2009 to oversee the overall design and ensure compliance with modern building codes while replicating ancient ship-like proportions. Engineering emphasized structural integrity for a freestanding timber-frame building rather than a functional vessel, incorporating a steel substructure for reinforcement amid the 3.1 million board feet of lumber used, making it the world's largest such timber-frame edifice. The Troyer Group handled primary structural engineering, collaborating with Tamarack Grove Engineering for specialized analysis of the bow and stern to address unique load distributions and wind resistance, including simulated hydrodynamic features like three internal keels for lateral stability and a bowfin for directional alignment. The design utilized advanced modeling software such as hsbcad to generate precise CNC data for timber fabrication, enabling the assembly of over 1,000 interlocking beams and ensuring seven internal decks capable of supporting visitor loads equivalent to thousands of tons. The foundation consists of 102 pillars elevating the ark 12 feet above ground to mitigate risks and seismic activity, with the entire frame engineered to withstand Kentucky's environmental conditions without relying on ship propulsion elements. This hybrid approach balanced biblical fidelity with contemporary safety standards, avoiding seaworthiness tests as the structure functions as a stationary exhibit.

Materials, Scale, and Feasibility Studies

The Ark Encounter features a full-scale replica of measuring 510 feet (155 meters) in length, 85 feet (26 meters) in width, and 51 feet (16 meters) in height, constructed according to the proportions specified in Genesis 6:15 using a Hebrew long of 20.4 inches. This scale equates to approximately 1.5 fields in length and a volume of about 1.88 million cubic feet, making it the world's largest free-standing timber-frame structure. Construction utilized 3.1 million board feet of , equivalent to roughly 200 tractor-trailer loads, including massive logs up to 38 inches in and 48 feet long. The primary structural timber consists of standing dead Engelmann trees, over 200 years old, harvested from forests, with some lodgepole elements squared for framing. Exterior shiplap cladding employs Accoya-treated radiata for enhanced durability against weathering. Engineering feasibility for this timber-frame incorporated modern to ensure stability on land, diverging from a functional seagoing vessel while adhering to biblical dimensions. A economic feasibility report by Ark Encounter, LLC projected visitor impacts to support tax incentives, though state officials later noted they had not reviewed it prior to approvals. Separate studies, including a 1993 analysis by Dr. Seon Hong treating the ark as a modern ship, affirmed hydrodynamic viability for the biblical , informing confidence despite the exhibit's static purpose.

Construction Phases and Timeline (2014–2016)

Construction of the Ark Encounter began with groundbreaking on May 1, 2014, after Answers in Genesis announced in late February that sufficient funds had been raised to initiate the project, averting the expiration of state tax incentives. Initial phases focused on site preparation, including the excavation and movement of over one million cubic yards of earth to level the 200-acre terrain, flatten hills, and lower ground levels by up to 30 feet in areas to accommodate the ark's foundation and supporting infrastructure. Foundation work commenced in February 2015, establishing the base for the massive timber-frame structure measuring 510 feet long, 85 feet wide, and three decks high. Structural framing, or "ark raising," started in June 2015, with crews assembling thousands of wooden beams—primarily from southern —sourced and milled to replicate biblical dimensions while meeting modern engineering standards. Progress accelerated through late 2015 and early 2016, with exterior enclosure, interior exhibit fabrication, and ancillary features like queue lines and parking completed by spring 2016, enabling the facility to open on July 7, 2016, approximately 26 months after groundbreaking.

Opening and Operational Features

Grand Opening and Initial Events (July 2016)

The Ark Encounter opened to the public on July 7, 2016, with the date selected to align symbolically with Genesis 7:7 in the , which describes entering the ark with his family. A VIP preview and media day occurred the previous day, July 6, hosting over 8,300 invited guests and approximately 150 media representatives who toured the 510-foot-long wooden replica before general admission began. The grand opening featured a ribbon-cutting led by founder , drawing thousands of attendees including families, Christian supporters, and curiosity-seekers from across the U.S. and internationally. Initial public access emphasized the site's core exhibit—a three-deck, biblically proportioned ark filled with animal models, historical displays, and creationist interpretations of narrative—positioned alongside educational programs and a attraction. Small-scale protests occurred outside the venue on July 6, organized by secular groups criticizing the project's use of public tax incentives and its young-earth creationist stance, though these drew limited participation compared to the influx of visitors. In the opening weeks following July 7, the park recorded strong early turnout, contributing to over 325,000 visitors in the first 10 weeks, though this fell short of pre-opening projections estimating up to 2 million annually. Ticket prices started at $40 for adults, $31 for seniors, and $28 for children ages 10–12, with free entry for those under 10.

Core Visitor Experiences and Exhibits

The core visitor experience at the Ark Encounter revolves around a self-guided tour of the life-size replica, constructed to biblical dimensions of 510 feet long, 85 feet wide, and 51 feet high, featuring three decks filled with exhibits that depict the account from a young-earth creationist perspective. Visitors access the decks via internal ramps, spending 2–4 hours exploring dioramas, life-size animal models, and educational displays that illustrate animal kinds, human life aboard, and post-Flood , with an emphasis on the Ark's feasibility for housing representatives of Earth's pre-Flood . The lowest deck (Deck 1) introduces the pre-Flood world, showcasing exhibits on advanced technologies attributed to early post-Edenic societies, moral and societal reasons for divine judgment as described in Genesis 6, and evidence drawn from hundreds of global flood legends interpreted as recollections of a historical cataclysm. It includes models of animal kinds—baraminological categories rather than modern species—demonstrating how pairs or sevens could fit within the Ark's volume, with catwalks overhead for viewing caged representations of reptiles, birds, and mammals in hibernation-like states during the voyage. Deck 2 emphasizes Noah's family dynamics and daily operations, with reconstructions of living quarters for Noah, his wife, three sons, and their wives, including areas for cooking, sleeping, recreation, and onboard using hydroponic-like systems to sustain food supplies. Exhibits here explore , water , and the Ark's massive door mechanism, alongside displays on pre-Flood wickedness and Noah's faithfulness, using life-size figures of the family engaged in tasks to convey a plausible year-long scenario. The uppermost deck (Deck 3) addresses animal care post-Flood and theological aftermath, featuring additional sculpted animals differing from extant forms to reflect presumed pre-Flood varieties, alongside bays dedicated to , the ensuing triggered by volcanic activity and ocean warming, and comparisons of ancient ark-like traditions worldwide. A prominent "Rainbow Covenant" display artistically renders God's post-Flood promise in Genesis 9, with prismatic effects symbolizing the sign to never again destroy the by . Spanning the decks is a graphic novel-style exhibit titled "Why the Is True," following fictional college students through biblical history, culminating in the message of Christ's as the ultimate resolution to human addressed in the Ark narrative. The wooden structure itself serves as an exhibit, highlighting Amish-crafted without modern nails, underscoring engineering claims of ancient seaworthiness. These elements collectively aim to affirm the literal historicity of Genesis, encouraging visitors to contrast it with secular uniformitarian models.

Educational Programs and Additional Attractions

The Ark Encounter provides educational programs tailored for school groups, homeschool families, and educators, emphasizing a biblical worldview on topics such as creation, the Flood, and Noah's Ark. These include half-day Explore Days for students aged 11–18 and Explore Jr. for ages 5–10, featuring hands-on science labs and activities like animal encounters and artifact studies. Multi-day camps and professional development sessions offer lectures, hands-on training, and full-day workshops for teachers, with options ranging from one-hour overviews to extended programs on integrating biblical history into curricula. Homeschool-specific events, such as the Family Homeschool Experience scheduled for May 14–16, 2026, incorporate ark tours, breakout sessions, and speakers, attracting families for field trips that align with creationist homeschooling resources. Educational guidebooks, available for grades K–2, 3–6, and 7–adult, provide worksheets, activities, and discussion prompts to deepen understanding of exhibits during visits. Daily programs supplement core exhibits with interactive elements, including animal presentations at the on-site , speaker-led discussions on biblical topics, and behind-the-scenes tours. Group field trips receive discounted rates and customized itineraries, with over 100,000 students participating annually in pre-2020 data, though recent figures emphasize homeschool integration amid rising demand for faith-based alternatives to public school outings. Beyond the main ark structure, additional attractions include the Ararat Ridge Zoo, which houses over 100 animals representing biblical kinds, such as alpacas, , , and , with interactive encounters like camel rides available for an extra fee. The Screaming Eagle Aerial Adventures course offers three levels of challenge courses and up to 12 zip lines reaching speeds of 50 mph and lengths of 1,600 feet, providing elevated views of the ark and surrounding ; separate tickets start at around $50 per person. Emzara's Playground, a large outdoor play area with climbing structures themed to ark , serves families and requires ark admission for access, enhancing the site's appeal for younger visitors. These features, operational since the opening, extend visit durations and cater to diverse age groups, with zoo expansions adding species like otters and wallabies by 2023.

Attendance, Operations, and Economic Impact

Historical and Recent Visitor Statistics (2016–2025)

The Ark Encounter, which opened on July 7, 2016, attracted approximately 1 million visitors during its inaugural operational year through June 2017, according to reports from its operator, (AiG). This figure fell short of pre-opening projections from feasibility studies estimating 1.4 to 2.2 million visitors annually, which were based on anticipating high initial interest in the biblical replica attraction. AiG attributed the attendance to strong domestic and international draw, with peak daily crowds exceeding 7,000 during summer months. For the subsequent fiscal year (July 2017 to June ), AiG reported another 1 million visitors, maintaining stability amid growing operational experience and seasonal events. Attendance data from , however, indicated early signs of softening, with recording 69,207 paid admissions compared to 83,330 in 2017, and similar monthly dips in . AiG has claimed roughly 1 million annual visitors in non-pandemic years since opening, a figure echoed in regional media but not independently verified through comprehensive audits, as the organization rarely releases detailed breakdowns beyond promotional highlights. Pandemic-related closures in 2020 disrupted operations, reducing attendance below prior levels, though AiG noted recovery with record single-day crowds, such as over 10,000 on select by late 2021. Monthly paid visitor data from Freedom of Information Act requests showed variability in recovery years: May 2023 tallied 82,585 admissions (up slightly from 81,378 in May 2022 but below 90,803 in May 2019), and June 2023 reached 111,256 (up from 102,639 in 2022). These figures suggest annual totals hovered near or slightly under 1 million in the early , influenced by expansions like seasonal lighting and additions that boosted peak periods. In 2025, attendance exhibited marked declines based on monthly : April recorded about 45,000 paid visitors versus 67,000 in 2024 (a 35% drop), with the year-to-date through early summer down 21% overall. June 2025 saw 91,484 tickets sold, the lowest for that month outside of 2020 COVID impacts. AiG highlighted isolated records, such as over 10,600 guests on , 2024, tied to holiday events, but broader trends point to softening demand potentially yielding sub-1 million annual figures for 2025. Such data, derived from taxable admissions rather than AiG's self-reported totals, underscore empirical variability absent from operator narratives, which emphasize sustained appeal despite economic and competitive tourism pressures.

Financial Performance and Job Creation

The Ark Encounter, operated by Answers in Genesis as a nonprofit entity, derives its primary revenue from ticket sales, concessions, merchandise, and related attractions, with adult admission priced at $64.99 plus $10 parking as of 2025. Construction costs totaled approximately $102 million, funded through private donations and bond sales without direct state budget allocations. In its first full year of operation (July 2017 to June 2018), the park sold about 860,000 paid tickets, generating revenue below initial projections of $40 million or more from 1-2 million visitors annually. Independent estimates place ongoing annual revenue at around $23.3 million, though Answers in Genesis does not publicly disclose Ark-specific financial statements separate from its overall operations. The park has paid significant local taxes, including $388,677 in school taxes and $70,453 in library taxes for 2019 alone, contributing to regional coffers despite receiving $18 million in state tourism tax rebates over time. Visitor , a key driver of financial performance, peaked early but has trended below expectations and recently declined; for instance, June 2025 ticket sales of 91,484 marked the lowest for that month outside of disruptions, with a 20% year-over-year drop in the first five months of 2025. claims a first-year economic impact of $200 million, including multiplier effects on local businesses, though critics note that actual has never reached the projected minimum of 1.2 million annually, potentially limiting sustained profitability. Despite these challenges, the organization reports operational stability, with expansions continuing and a record single-day of over 10,600 guests on December 28, 2024. The Ark Encounter created approximately 300 to 400 direct jobs upon its 2016 opening, focusing on operations, maintenance, and guest services, with requirements for employees to affirm a statement of faith. As part of ' broader workforce of about 1,050-1,100 employees across its attractions in , the park has sustained these positions while spurring indirect employment in tourism-related sectors such as hotels and restaurants. AiG asserts a job multiplier effect, generating 29 community jobs for every 100 direct positions at its facilities, based on observed increases in local business activity like 20% growth in some hotels attributable to Ark visitors. Initial projections estimated up to 787 direct and indirect jobs over the first decade, though actual figures remain lower amid attendance shortfalls, with no comprehensive independent economic impact study verifying long-term net job gains beyond AiG's self-reported data.

Expansions and Ongoing Developments (2017–2025)

Following its opening, the Ark Encounter underwent several expansions beginning in 2017, including the addition of new exhibits such as "Why the Bible Is True," two theater areas featuring presentations like "As in the Days of Noah" on the third deck, expansions to the grounds and Ararat Ridge Zoo, and the installation of zip lines for visitors. In 2018, the Monument Walk entrance opened on the east side of the lake, providing an introductory area with exhibits on biblical events and , while the "Timeline of History" exhibit was installed inside the ark to depict post-Flood chronology. The Answers Center, a 2,500-seat with classrooms in a 36,000-square-foot basement, began construction for a late-2018 opening near the ark, alongside enhancements to Emzara's Restaurant expanding its buffet seating to 1,500 and introducing new menu items. By 2019, the Ararat Ridge Zoo doubled in size with progressive openings through the fall, adding walk-through areas for and emus, plus exhibits for lemurs, sloths, African tortoises, aoudad goats, Tibetan yaks, zebras, alpacas, and camels, accompanied by live animal shows. The Answers Center auditorium opened with a 70-foot LED screen for concerts and events, and a large inclusive was introduced featuring elements like the Inclusive Whirl, Mantis Cable Way, Mega Tower slides, Rainbow Maze, percussion play areas, a custom racetrack, and a climbing hill with a sculpture. Additional amenities included with food venues and retail like Oscar's Store, and Rainbow Gardens floral displays evoking Genesis 9. In subsequent years, plans emerged for further attractions, including a exhibit announced in 2021 to expand biblical-themed experiences. A high-tech "Truth Traveler" VR experience was introduced, alongside a depicting animals purportedly on the ark. As of 2024–2025, construction advanced on a new Welcome Center, shuttle bus drop-off area slated for November 2025 opening, and a building, with wooden beam installations progressing by April 2025. The "Truth Traveler" VR was planned for relocation, update, and expansion to the ark's unused fourth deck to accommodate more guests, free up space for children's activities, and include an outdoor overlook, supported by a matching campaign up to $8 million. These developments aimed to enhance capacity and educational impact amid ongoing operations on the 800-acre site.

Reception and Cultural Impact

Achievements in Education and Public Engagement

The Ark Encounter provides structured educational programs that combine hands-on with interpretations of biblical accounts, targeting to foster a literal reading of Genesis. For children ages 5–10, Explore Jr. includes half-day workshops on subjects like and forensics, alongside 3-day summer camps scheduled for dates such as July 6–8, 2026. Older participants ages 11–18 engage in Explore Days' 3-hour workshops covering and chemistry, or high school labs featuring 12-session courses and 5-day intensives in disciplines including physics and , running from August 25, 2025, to April 26, 2026. These initiatives aim to equip students with practical skills while reinforcing young-earth creationist views on origins. Complementing on-site experiences, the attraction distributes grade-specific educational guidebooks for K–2, 3–6, and 7–adult levels, offering pre- and post-visit activities for families, homeschoolers, and groups to explore exhibits on construction, animal care, and post-Flood history. Homeschool resources extend to annual events like the Family Homeschool Experience, held May 8–12, 2023, which provides multi-day sessions on biblical worldview integration and unlimited access to the Ark and affiliated . Partnerships, such as the April 12–13, 2023, teacher with the Herzog Foundation, train educators to incorporate creationist perspectives into curricula. Public engagement achievements include recognition as the top U.S. religious in 2023 by reader votes, underscoring its draw for faith-based learning. The site earned the 2021 Traverse Award for Excellence in Tourism Marketing from the Travel Industry Association, reflecting effective outreach to diverse audiences. Visitor accounts frequently highlight educational reinforcement of scriptural narratives, with parents noting deepened comprehension of Genesis among children during family trips. These efforts position the Ark as a venue for countering secular influences through experiential .

Media Coverage and Positive Endorsements

The Ark Encounter has garnered positive coverage from conservative media outlets, particularly , which has highlighted its role in promoting biblical literacy and family-oriented education. In a July 10, 2022, segment, Fox News co-host described her family's visit as an "interactive biblical experience focused on ," emphasizing its appeal for faith-based learning and entertainment. Similarly, on July 1, 2025, host toured the site, showcasing its life-size replica and exhibits in a segment that staff reported elicited enthusiastic feedback from the crew. A July 1, 2020, article by contributor Megan Alexander portrayed the attraction as a worthwhile road trip destination, underscoring its immersive storytelling of narrative. Endorsements from political figures have also bolstered the project's visibility. Former Louisiana Congressman and current U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson, serving as legal counsel for Answers in Genesis, successfully defended the Ark Encounter in a 2015 lawsuit against Kentucky, restoring up to $18 million in tax incentives by arguing the incentives did not violate the Establishment Clause. Johnson described the attraction as a legitimate economic development initiative consistent with state practices for other tourism projects. Additionally, former President Jimmy Carter toured the unfinished Ark Encounter with Answers in Genesis CEO Ken Ham in 2016 prior to its public opening, an event Ham later recounted as involving substantive discussion on biblical themes, though Carter's specific comments focused on shared evangelical roots rather than explicit praise. Christian broadcasters and have provided further supportive exposure. The project featured in promotions on The Program and other secular-leaning outlets as part of a 2016 media campaign, framing it as an innovative tool accessible to diverse audiences. Governor Steve Beshear's 2010 announcement of state incentives drew international media interest, with reports emphasizing the anticipated $3 billion economic boost over 30 years from job creation and tourism. These endorsements contrast with broader mainstream scrutiny but align with the attraction's mission to affirm young-earth through experiential exhibits.

Scientific and Academic Critiques

Scientific consensus holds that the global depicted in the biblical narrative and central to the Ark Encounter's exhibits is incompatible with geological evidence, as Earth's sedimentary record shows layered deposition over millions of years rather than a single catastrophic event. Features like the Grand Canyon's stair-stepped erosion patterns, where resistant form cliffs and softer shales erode into slopes, require sequential hardening and exposure over extended periods, not rapid flood deposition within one year. Fossilized mud cracks, raindrop imprints, and dinosaur nests in formations such as the Tapeats further indicate intermittent drying and subaerial exposure, contradicting continuous submersion during a year-long deluge. Thick evaporite deposits, including 200-foot salt layers in the Paradox Formation and widespread beds, demand isolated evaporative basins over time, which a global ocean would preclude. Hydrologically, insufficient water exists on to cover all landmasses, including at 29,032 feet; combining oceanic (97% of total water) and freshwater sources would elevate sea levels by only about 250 feet, with atmospheric moisture adding mere inches. A of the required magnitude would also homogenize fresh and saltwater, rendering post- aquatic ecosystems lethal to freshwater due to hypersalinity approximating levels. Biologically, accommodating Earth's on the Ark poses insurmountable challenges; even assuming creationist "kinds" (estimated at 3,500), the vessel's volume—after allocating for corridors, waste, and supplies—yields roughly 0.275 cubic feet per animal for over 3.8 million individuals (including pairs of extant , undiscovered taxa, and additional birds), insufficient for larger animals like a requiring 57 cubic feet. Daily feeding of specialized diets (e.g., for koalas) by eight would demand just 44 seconds per animal over 371 days, while and ventilation for diverse metabolic needs (e.g., preventing in reptiles) exceed pre-industrial capabilities. Post-flood, rapid from limited pairs to generate current diversity (e.g., 5,000 in 4,375 years) lacks genetic or support, as inbreeding from bottlenecks would erode viability, akin to historical cases like the Habsburg dynasty. Excluded taxa like (over 1 million ), microbes (trillions estimated), and parasites further undermine repopulation feasibility without invoking unsubstantiated mechanisms. Engineering analyses deem the Ark's dimensions (450 feet long, wooden construction) unfeasible for stability; historical wooden vessels rarely exceeded 300 feet without flexing, leaking, or breaking amid ocean stresses, and technology lacked preservatives or joints to withstand flood-generated waves or the 3.65 octillion calories of heat from implied , potentially boiling oceans. Animal gathering from distant biomes (e.g., Australian marsupials to ) and post-embarkation dispersal (e.g., flightless birds to remote islands during an Ice Age) require transoceanic migrations defying known behaviors and ice-covered terrains. These constraints, rooted in physics and empirics, render the scenario viable only through continuous miracles, which scientific critiques exclude as non-falsifiable.

Controversies and Debates

Tax Incentives and Public Funding Disputes

In 2014, the Finance Authority approved a development incentives package for the Ark Encounter, providing for rebates of up to 25% of the sales and excise taxes generated by the attraction over a ten-year period, with a cap of $18.25 million. These rebates were performance-based, refunding a portion of taxes collected from visitors rather than direct appropriations from state coffers. The package also included potential local property tax abatements negotiated separately with Grant County officials. State tourism cabinet officials rescinded the incentives in December 2014, determining that ' requirement for employees to affirm a statement of faith constituted and that the project primarily advanced religion, violating state guidelines against funding such activities with public incentives. , which operates the for-profit Ark Encounter LLC, responded by filing a federal lawsuit in February 2015 against officials, claiming the revocation discriminated against their religious viewpoints and violated the First Amendment's Free Speech and Free Exercise Clauses. Secular advocacy groups, including the and Americans United for Separation of Church and State, supported the state's position, arguing that the incentives effectively subsidized religious in violation of the Establishment Clause. In January 2016, U.S. District Judge Jr. (no relation to the senator) granted a preliminary injunction in favor of , ruling that the state's criteria for denying incentives impermissibly targeted the religious content and purpose of the Ark Encounter while exempting secular projects with similar hiring practices. The court found no evidence of or endorsement of by the rebates, as they returned taxes paid by voluntary visitors. The full case settled later that year with the incentives reinstated, allowing the park to claim rebates upon meeting revenue thresholds post-opening in July 2016. Subsequent disputes arose in 2017 when transferred the property to its nonprofit affiliate, Crosswater Canyon, to pursue a religious exemption under law. State officials warned that the nonprofit structure disqualified the project from the for-profit tourism incentives, prompting a reversal of the transfer to preserve eligibility. The contended that this maneuver invalidated prior subsidy approvals, urging to withhold rebates. Locally, Grant County Board of Education challenged the property's tax-exempt status in 2017, arguing it functioned as a commercial enterprise rather than a purely religious one, potentially costing the district $1 million annually in revenue. A 2019 appeals court ruling upheld the exemption, affirming the site's religious educational purpose despite its for-profit operations. No major state-level revocations have occurred through 2025, with rebates continuing based on verified tourism impacts.

Hiring and Employment Policies

The Ark Encounter, operated by (AiG), mandates that all job applicants and employees affirm AiG's Statement of Faith as a condition of employment, regardless of position. This policy applies universally, including to roles such as ticket sellers, maintenance staff, and zoo keepers, requiring candidates to profess Jesus Christ as their personal Savior and agree to core doctrines including the inerrancy of Scripture, creation in six literal 24-hour days approximately 6,000 years ago, a global , and rejection of evolutionary theory. The Statement of Faith further stipulates beliefs on and , asserting that biological sex and are equivalent and divinely assigned, that sexual relations are permissible only within heterosexual monogamous , and that homosexual behavior constitutes . Employees must also commit to upholding these views in their conduct, effectively excluding applicants who support , , or . This comprehensive doctrinal alignment ensures that staff represent AiG's young-earth creationist mission, as articulated by founder , who has described the policy as essential to maintaining the park's evangelistic integrity. The hiring criteria sparked legal contention during project development, as Kentucky officials in 2014 rescinded up to $18 million in state tax incentives, citing under the Kentucky Act 115 program, which prohibits funding entities that limit employment based on creed. AiG responded by filing a federal lawsuit, arguing First Amendment protections and exemption under Title VII of the for religious organizations. In December 2014, U.S. District Judge Danny Reeves granted a preliminary , ruling the policy permissible as it advanced a sincere religious purpose and did not violate the Establishment Clause, given the park's for-profit structure served a secular aim of . Subsequent rulings affirmed this stance; in 2017, the Sixth of Appeals upheld bond issuance after revised its incentives to avoid funding "religious ," but a 2019 state court decision confirmed AiG's eligibility despite the faith requirement, emphasizing the organization's religious exemption. No successful employee suits have overturned the policy, which AiG maintains as of 2025, with job postings continuing to reference doctrinal agreement alongside physical and operational qualifications. Critics, including church-state separation advocates, contend the approach contravenes equal employment principles when subsidized indirectly by public bonds, though courts have prioritized religious liberty exemptions. In 2014, Kentucky state officials initially approved up to $18 million in tax incentives for the Ark Encounter under a tourism development program but rescinded the offer after learning of its planned religious hiring policy, which requires applicants to affirm a statement of faith aligning with ' young-Earth creationist beliefs, and its explicitly biblical content. filed a federal lawsuit in 2015 against state officials, alleging viewpoint under the First Amendment's Free Speech and Free Exercise Clauses, as the denial targeted the project's religious nature rather than its economic viability. A federal court granted a preliminary in December 2015 and ruled definitively in January 2016 that the state's actions violated constitutional protections, prohibiting denial of incentives based on religious content or hiring practices, as the Ark Encounter operates as a for-profit entity eligible for secular rebates. Kentucky did not appeal the ruling, allowing the incentives to proceed. The employment policy, which permits hiring preferences for those sharing the organization's doctrinal views on topics like and rejection of , drew scrutiny for potentially conflicting with state anti-discrimination laws, but no successful challenges to its implementation have been reported; courts upheld it as protected religious exercise in the tax context. In 2017, Kentucky's Tourism Cabinet notified of a potential breach of the incentive agreement following a arrangement critics claimed was designed to minimize es, but the project retained the rebates after legal review. Separately, in August 2019, the Grant County Board of Education sued over the Ark's assessment, arguing its value exceeded the $38 million valuation used for taxation—potentially up to $130 million—and that it underpaid taxes by thousands annually; moved to dismiss, asserting compliance with appraisal laws. The suit highlighted tensions over public fiscal burdens but did not result in a valuation change by 2025. Politically, the project garnered support from religious liberty advocates, including then-attorney Mike Johnson, who represented Answers in Genesis in the 2015–2016 litigation and argued the state's denial exemplified anti-religious bias in public policy. Conservative figures praised the court victory as a defense of free exercise rights against government overreach. Opposition came primarily from secular organizations like the Freedom From Religion Foundation, which in 2016 warned over 1,000 public school districts against field trips to the Ark, citing Establishment Clause concerns, and in 2024 urged Kentucky to halt state promotion of a "Faith Trail" including the site. These groups, often aligned with strict church-state separation, framed incentives as unconstitutional subsidies for proselytizing, though federal rulings rejected such claims absent evidence of coercion. Kentucky governors, including Democrat Andy Beshear, maintained neutrality post-litigation, with no further state challenges pursued.

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