Kentucky Finalizes Tax Breaks For Noah's Ark Theme Park

Finalizing action that Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear announced last year (see prior posting), the Kentucky Tourism and Development Finance Authority voted unanimously yesterday to grant $40 million in tax rebates to a Noah's Ark theme part to be built by Answers in Genesis ministry. The same group previously built the popular Creation Museum in Kentucky.  The Washington Post reports that the goal of the park is to dispel doubts that Noah could have fit two of every kind of animal in an ark.  The park will also include a replica of the Tower of Babel, theaters, lecture halls, a restaurant and a petting zoo. The park-- a $172 million project-- is expected to draw nearly 1.4 million visitors a year and create 600 to 700 full time jobs. Advocates of church-state separation have criticized the tax benefits.  Barry W. Lynn, executive director of Americans United said that the state should not be in the business of promoting fundamentalist Christianity or any other religion.