From Leo Weekly:

Today, Ham will give a sneak preview and update on his newest evangelical project, Ark Encounter — the Grant County park featuring a “life-sized” re-creation of Noah’s Ark, depicting the true story of a 600-year-old man wrangling two of every mammal, bird, insect and dinosaur onto a boat a few thousand years ago during a global flood sent by God.

While Ark Encounter has grabbed headlines nationwide since its announcement in December 2010 — along with a full-throated endorsement by Gov. Steve Beshear and approval for up to $43 million in potential tax breaks — the project has since been mired with delays and fundraising problems, including an announcement that the project must be completed in phases over 10 years, rather than all at once in advance of its scheduled opening in spring of 2014.

Though Ham and his colleagues spend much of the day unveiling more features at Ark Encounter, that excitement is tempered by a fundraising update that reveals groundbreaking for the park — which was supposed to begin last spring — could still be years away as the project is a hefty $44 million from its goal.

Full story: Investors of the Lost Ark - Enthusiasm for Ark Encounter tempered by news of fundraising troubles, construction delays

I really hope they lose their asses on this one. Yes, I realize investors will lose money, but I find it very difficult to to feel sorry for someone foolish enough to invest in a Noah’s Ark theme park. The 13-year-old boy in the linked article illustrates why I detest these people so much. They’ve brainwashed the kid so badly he thinks Beowulf was historical.

I wonder if Hamm is using the bible description of the ark’s construction found in Genesis 6. Where’s he going to get all of that cypress wood I wonder? And the dipiction in the citation looks strangely like a Greek vessel with a keel and high prow, not mentioned in the bible account. And how about saving only those animals useful to man? See, this is why there are no unicorns. Also, leaving off the dinosaurs is not biblically accurate as there were “giants in the land” then and this means Dinos. What’s next an animatronic figure of Moses parting the red sea lake? Moses of course looking suspiciously like Charleton Heston. Beshear should be impeached for using state money to help fund this fiasco. I hope that it goes the way of Jim and Tammy Baker’s xtian theme park. What would Jesus do? He sure as hell wouldn’t be wringing his hands at the thought of raking in millions by selling kids myth for facts.

Cap’t Jack

I just listened to the Skeptoid episode Noah’s Ark Sea Trials[/]. Brian Dunning did an excellent job explaining why the ark would not be seaworthy. In fact, without massive steel reinforcement the ark would fall apart under its own weight while under construction. I wonder if Ken Hamm knows he is going to prove the ark story false, assuming he gets adequate funding.

Of course it wouldn’t float it’s a box of boxes as the bible describes it, and wouldn’t be seaworthy. Besides, the grazing animals would have eaten it from the inside out! Hamm’s nothing if not an entrepreneur looking for a buck from the true believers. Free, if you’re reading this are the skeptics in Ky. Attempting to press Beshear on the legal issue of funding for religious purposes or does he see only dollar signs? Is McConnell backing this too? Probably.

Cap’tnJack

The whole endeavor is delightfully stupid.

The whole endeavor is delightfully stupid.

Agreed, but why did he pick KY? Why not Mississippi? There’s a hell of a lot more fundies down there.

Cap’t Jack

“the project has since been mired with delays and fundraising problems,”

Isn’t that how these guys make all their money anyway.

One crises after another, needing the faithful to dig into their pockets yet once again.
~ ~ ~

reminds me of something they used to say up in Silverton:
A gold miner is just a liar standing next to a hole in the ground

Thevillageatheist - 02 August 2012 06:54 PM

Free, if you’re reading this are the skeptics in Ky. Attempting to press Beshear on the legal issue of funding for religious purposes or does he see only dollar signs? Is McConnell backing this too? Probably.

There were some rumblings from a few skeptics back when the project and funding was announced but AFAIK no action was ever taken. I think most of us are just hoping this thing dies quietly.