Kentucky’s Ark Park Denied Public Funding
Americans United Welcomes Ky. Officials’ Decision Not to Award Public Funding to ‘Ark Park’
A proposed theme park based on the story of Noah’s Ark will not receive tax incentives from the state of Kentucky, officials announced today.
Americans United for Separation of Church and State hailed the move.
“This project was never a good candidate for public funding,” said the Rev. Barry W. Lynn, executive director of Americans United. “Its purpose is to promote fundamentalist Christianity, and it should be funded with private contributions from believers.”
Ark Encounter is a project of Answers in Genesis (AIG), a fundamentalist Christian organization that promotes creationism and biblical literalism. The Kentucky Tourism, Arts and Heritage Cabinet had granted preliminary approval for the park to receive tax incentives, but today the cabinet informed AIG that it does not qualify for state aid.
In a letter to AIG, cabinet Secretary Bob Stewart wrote, “[I]t is readily apparent that the project has evolved from a tourism project to an extension of AIG’s ministry that will no longer permit the Commonwealth to grant the project tourism development incentives.”
In addition, Stewart added that the park can’t receive the aid because it intends to discriminate on the basis of religion in hiring staff.
More: Americans United Welcomes Ky. Officials’ Decision Not to Award Public Funding to ‘Ark Park’
