Ark Encounters just fornicated itself out of $18 mil in tax rebates

[47of74]

Looks like the guys running the running the Ark Encounter place just fornicated themselves out of the $18 million tax rebate they were going to be getting.

 

Quote

On July 18, the Kentucky Tourism, Arts, and Heritage Cabinet sent a letter to the Ark Encounter’s lawyers, informing them that as of July 10, they were “in breach of its Tourism Development Agreement… with the Commonwealth.”

“We believe that your client is aware that they may not be eligible for state tax incentives if the Ark Project is owned by a non-profit legal entity,” the letter continued. The letter then quoted from the Ark Encounter’s own website where it states the “for-profit LLC structure also allows the Ark Encounter to be eligible for various economic development incentives that would not have been available with a non-profit structure.”

In other words, now that Ken Ham and his affiliates sold the Ark Encounter to a non-profit entity, they are no longer eligible for the tax rebate deal.

“…please be advised that no further incentives may accrue from sales tax imposed on sales generated by or arising at the tourism development project, as of the date of transfer of the property, June 28, 2017,” the letter continued.

And may I say....

 

 

[backyard sylph]

http://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/2017/07/21/kentucky-stops-tax-incentives-ark-encounter/499690001/

This appeared in my local news email this morning. It's actually a followup to another story; the Ark people are angry that the city or county wants a 50 cent surcharge on their tickets for municipal concerns, saying that people who pay $40 for a ticket are not going to be bothered by the extra. They have been arguing over whether they should receive tax incentives as a non-profit concern; the county is getting nothing for their investment of selling them the land so cheaply in the beginning. Their answer is to do a really shady deed transfer to a non-profit arm of their organization.

[seraaa]

Ohh, the whole financial situation is shady as anything. This does not look good for them, and I wonder if they anticipate making much profit at all in the long run?

Also, amid all the controversies over funding, I did enjoy the reaction to a particular tweet of Ken's

 

[apple1]

This was a delusional project in the first place.

I live within easy driving distance of the Creation Museum; have not been; don't intend to go. BUT - even if I were interested in going - besides it costing a lot for what it is, vs. spending that money for King's Island or our excellent zoo, both of which are even closer - it's a seen it once, nothing more to see thing.

Ark Encounter is exactly the same thing even for those who are interested. Costs as much as King's Island, yet once and done.

I would have thought the Creation Museum's financial issues would have taught them a lesson. Apparently not.

 

The Ark Encounter is going to end up going out of business, leaving the community with an eyesore that they don't know how to get rid of. And large wood structures require significant expensive maintenance over time, BTW.

[47of74]

5 hours ago, apple1 said:

This was a delusional project in the first place.

I live within easy driving distance of the Creation Museum; have not been; don't intend to go. BUT - even if I were interested in going - besides it costing a lot for what it is, vs. spending that money for King's Island or our excellent zoo, both of which are even closer - it's a seen it once, nothing more to see thing.

Ark Encounter is exactly the same thing even for those who are interested. Costs as much as King's Island, yet once and done.

I would have thought the Creation Museum's financial issues would have taught them a lesson. Apparently not.

 

The Ark Encounter is going to end up going out of business, leaving the community with an eyesore that they don't know how to get rid of. And large wood structures require significant expensive maintenance over time, BTW.

Unlike things like the Memphis Pyramid I don't think it can easily be converted to a different use.  It'd probably just sit there falling apart.

[47of74]

And it looks like ol Kenny went and made the "ark look incredibly gay."

Quote

Not only is Kentucky’s Ark Encounter theme park historically inaccurate and hemorrhaging money, its founder’s attempt to reclaim “God’s rainbow” from its association with LGBTQ Pride has become the target of gleeful mockery.

In a woebegone editorial for FoxNews.com, Christian activist — and serial fabulist — Todd Starnes lamented that LGBTQ activists are mocking creationist Ken Ham’s decision to keep the park’s replica of Noah’s Ark “permanently bathed in rainbow lights.”

 

[Othello]

...because they wouldn't pay a $0.50/ticket tourism "safety fee" required by the local government to qualify as a tourist attraction. Will the Ark Encounter be able to... stay afloat? *ba dum tss*

http://deadstate.org/kentucky-officials-strip-ken-hams-ark-encounter-exhibit-of-its-18-million-tax-rebate/

[marmalade]

See you in Hell with all of us heathens, Ken! 

Fucking charlatan (as if we didn't already know this). He deserves all of the bad karma that comes his way. 

[Cartmann99]

I want someone to buy the ark from these people, dismantle and transport it someplace else, and then reopen it as a gay bar. 

[47of74]

49 minutes ago, Cartmann99 said:

I want someone to buy the ark from these people, dismantle and transport it someplace else, and then reopen it as a gay bar. 

Better yet, do it in a way that ol' Kenny has no idea who exactly is buying the Ark until it's too late, then reveal it to the world as the world's biggest gay bar. 

[Marian the Librarian]

Well, apparently this news isn't going to stop Isaac and Heidi Botkin from attending the "Noah Conference" and visiting the Ark Encounter in Cincinnati next month:

Quote

 

Heidi and I (and sometimes James, when we remind him of it) are anticipating a family adventure next month as we drive up to Cincinnati for the 2017 Noah Conference, partly because we’ll see Ken Ham’s Ark Encounter again, but also because of all the great folks that will be at the main conference event! We really enjoyed this event last year, and were extremely encouraged by the speakers that we heard. And we’re pretty sure that James will be able to soak in more this year, especially at the Ark, where we are looking forward to showing him all the exhibits and the biggest boat he’s ever seen. (Boats and fishing are some of his top interests right now, but he’s never considered anything on this scale!)

Registration includes tickets to the Ark Encounter on August 10th, and 2 full days at the conference held at a nearby church on the 11th and 12th. There will be messages from Kevin Swanson, Ken Ham, Scott Brown, Emeal Zwayne, Israel Wayne, and lots of others. I’ll be on a panel with my brothers talking about some of the lessons we’ve learned from the last few years of running T-Rex Arms, and Heidi will be on a panel about cross-generational faithfulness.

We are looking forward to a time of encouragement and fellowship, and an opportunity to meet new friends and catch up with old ones. And don’t miss out on the the free Saturday night pizza party to wrap up the event!

 

The Noah Conference's website says the entire Botkin clan will be attending. Any FJ-ers in Ohio planning to crash the party?

https://noahconference.org

http://isaacbotkin.com

[Childless]

1 hour ago, Marian the Librarian said:

Well, apparently this news isn't going to stop Isaac and Heidi Botkin from attending the "Noah Conference" and visiting the Ark Encounter in Cincinnati next month:

The Noah Conference's website says the entire Botkin clan will be attending. Any FJ-ers in Ohio planning to crash the party?

https://noahconference.org

http://isaacbotkin.com

Um, no.  Going on an African safari is an adventure.  Going to a big wooden boat in a field in Kentucky and looking at stuffed animals is just a waste of time.

[Lachlanne]

This is on the Google profile for the Ark Encounter:  "Plan your visit: People typically spend up to 25 min here."  Now of course, many will spend more time there, but an average of 25 minutes for everyone who checks in via Google?  $40 for 25 minutes?

Or am I interpreting this completely wrong?

[SusanDelgado]

Here I thought I was bad at math!  They refused to pay potentially $700,000 and it cost them $18million. Dang. Is that Bob Jones math maybe? Or Abekka? 

[47of74]

Ark Encounters doing a number on irony

Quote

In the Bible, the ark survived an epic flood. Yet the owners of Kentucky's Noah's ark attraction are demanding their insurance company bail them out after heavy rains caused nearly $1 million in property damage.
 
The Ark Encounter says in a federal lawsuit that rains in 2017 and 2018 caused a landslide on its access road. The lawsuit says the road has been rebuilt. The ark was not damaged.

The Courier Journal reports the attraction's insurance carriers refused to cover the damage, however.

The 510-foot-long wooden ark has been a popular northern Kentucky attraction since its 2016 opening. Answers in Genesis, the company that operates the Ark Encounter, also operates the Creation Museum in Petersburg, which opened its doors in 2007.

 

[Alisamer]

5 minutes ago, 47of74 said:

Ark Encounters doing a number on irony

 

Did the insurance company deny it on grounds it was an "act of God"? 

[47of74]

3 hours ago, Alisamer said:

Did the insurance company deny it on grounds it was an "act of God"? 

Not entirely sure but I hope so.