WHAS reported Saturday that Ark Encounter theme park may not get the $18 million in sales tax rebate incentives previously promised to it because the land on which the theme park sits has been sold for a nominal amount to a non-profit entity owned by the theme park's founder. The sale for $10 of the theme park land to Ken Ham's Crosswater Canyon-- a breach of contract-- means that Grant County, Kentucky where Ark Encounter is located will lose $700,000 in expected revenue from Safety Assessment fees as well as property taxes, even though the theme park has cost the county $715,000 for extra police and fire personnel. The Safety Assessments do not apply to non-profits. Officials are hopeful that negotiations will resolve the dispute.
UPDATE: According to Cincinnati.com, in order to preserve its tax incentive, Ark Encounter on July 24 sold the theme park property back to its for-profit entity.
