Ken Ham's boondoggle in Kentucky is still mired in sluggish fundraising, but he still believes they'll be open in 2014…only now with an incomplete park. They're now talking about building it up gradually over a decade, starting whenever the can begin construction. Looking at AiG's numbers, though, I don't see why they're at all optimistic.
The first phase of the project will cost $73 million to build, and $6 million has already been spent on land acquisition and design. So far, Answers in Genesis has raised $7.5 million, with private investors pitching in an additional $15.5 million to the LLC, leaving $22 million left to raise before they have enough money to break ground, and $44 million left to complete the project. Boone estimates it will take 12-24 months to secure the funding to break ground, then it will take another 24 months to complete construction.
The company will then have to raise $53 million for additional phases of the park throughout next decade.
So just the initial phase will cost $73 million, and they've raised, over the last couple of years, a total of $23 million? That's a big puddle of money, but the rate of growth suggests that they've pretty much already drained the existing pool of willing donors. And after that $73 million, they need another $53 million before we get to see that exciting '10 plagues of Egypt' ride!
They also discuss some of the other crap they have planned.
Outside the ark, Marsh details the proposed “parade of animals,” in which Noah leads dancers and musicians dressed as animals “in a spectacular choreographed hybrid of ‘world dance’ and music to create the unique flavor and experience of a pre-Flood culture,” all while being heckled by actors playing Pagans who doubt Noah.
Oh, boy. Cheese and corn, two great flavors that go great together! And just what is pre-Flood culture? Anything that existed more than 4400 years ago? And what are they celebrating, the imaginary ruthless annihilation of all those singing and dancing variety acts?
They also say that PBS has a three-part documentary on building the Ark Park in the can, that will be aired this fall…does anybody know anything about that? What kind of documentary can you build out of a gang of preachers dunning churches for money, and is Ken Burns making it?
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PZ: PLEASE respond, as only you can, to this idiotic op-ed in the Strib extolling young-earth creation:
http://www.startribune.com/opinion/commentaries/164491876.html
Does anyone else find anything ironic about them building something "gradually over [time]..."?
Ha. Ha. Ha.
Ken Ham is the best!
How come Noah managed to build his ark with just his sons? What's taking them so long?
And speaking of arks, it looks like this guy beat Ken Ham to the punch...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ws_imCi0Hsw
"just what is pre-Flood culture? Anything that existed more than 4400 years ago? "
>4400 and <6000, to be sure.
I see a career opportunity here as one of those pagan hecklers. I think I could do that.
Ugh... wish this joker would get out of my state already. We do an excellent job of making ourselves look like backwoods, inbred, gun-totin' Bible-thumpers WITHOUT his assistance, thankyouverymuch.
Cleo, I am with you, I am embarrassed to live so close to that hunk of crap, I can't imagine being in the same state, I know what you are thinking, Like Cincinnati is the progressive haven of the world but this the multimillion dollar turd called the ark makes Cincinnati look like Camp Quest :-) I feel your pain.
I have and will continue to support Ken ham and have donated quite a bit of money to this project myself. besides, PZ, do you not know that this project will take "millions of years" to evolve?
That's right Mr. PZ Myers. In "millions of years" that unfinished structure will have evolved into a complete structure.
Everyone remember to go eat at Chick Fil-A today and support free speech and normal people. Also remember to stop by on Friday when GLAAD creeps are there smooching with one another. Remember to point, laugh, and leave.
I myself have planned to take some photos of the homersexuals smooching and then turn those pictures into cardboard cutouts to do a mock skit to be aired on Youtube. This is going to be fun. The best part will be getting a life size cardboard cutout of PZ Myers and making a mock classroom and doing a mock evolution and poll crashing rant for YouTube followers. Indeed this left wing protest will be fun to mock on Al Gore's internet.
Oh and for the record I am a proud southern confederate redneck mud riding truck driving gun toting Bible thumping neo con. No shame in being normal.
I still look forward to doing a yourtube mock gay protest using carboard cutouts of real leftwingers. I can't wait to get a reaction.
Plus, why recreate a culture that was supposedly so wicked god had to destroy it? What kind of blasphemous, bloodthirsty variety acts should we expect?
If I was a billionaire, I'd chip in with the needed cash, purely for comedy value. The more of these type of places are built, the more people will see how nuts it all is.
Will PZ be riding a thoroughbred or Arabian triceratops in the Kentucky Derby next year?
Walter Brenmar, you're trying to parodize the Religious Wrong, right? It's a bit difficult to tell (Poe's Law).
Damn, Sweden spent the 30-Year War trying to convince the world that *we* were the most Bible-thumping, Bible-literalist backward hicks. All that effort, and now Kentucky is stealing the show..
PS In that war, we also spent a big part of our GNP on building a ship that could not float: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vasa_(ship)
Walter Brenmar, you are joking aren't you?
Yes, Walter Brenmar is joking.
@ Patrick- And ironically enough it's not going to just magically appear by random chance! lol
If you know who is joking, I was hoping everyone would ignore you know who because he obviously want to provoke negative comments
диета кима протасова
Australia has its own challengers for christian nutter status. The New South Wales government wants to solve problem gambling by putting Chaplains into our poker machine clubs to offer people therapeutic advice.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-08-05/an-chaplains-in-gambling-clubs/41…
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-08-05/an-chaplains-in-gambling-clubs/41…