Ark Park News Article

Many of the articles written about the Ark Encounter project have been what I call “agenda-driven articles.” It is so refreshing to read an article written as a news item that actually reports on the facts of a story instead of being written by an agenda-driven reporter who has an axe to grind against AiG.

An article appeared on March 18 at Cincinnati.com that began with the following:

There has been much skepticism about the projected attendance numbers for the Ark Encounter themed attraction in Grant County.

Planners say that not only are they confident that projections of 1.6 million visitors in the first year will prove accurate, those numbers have greatly influenced how large the attraction will be and where it will be located.

"That number was a game changer for us," Mike Zovath, Senior Vice President/Special Projects for Answers in Genesis, said. "It was probably half a million or more above what we expected."

Ark Encounter LLC, a for-profit entity and Answers in Genesis, the nonprofit ministry that built the Creation Museum in Petersburg, will partner to build the $175 million Ark Encounter

As the Creation Museum was nearing completion in 2007, Answers in Genesis officials were already thinking about the Ark project.

The group contracted America's Research Group (ARG) in 2008 to conduct a feasibility study, to ensure there was an audience for the Ark and that the available land could accommodate the necessary attractions.

The initial estimates for the Creation Museum were significantly lower than a feasibility study later projected and revisions had to be made to that facility after construction had begun. The ARG estimate of 400,000 visitors for the Creation Museum's first year was dead on.

Encouraged by that projection, but wanting to err on the side of caution, Zovath said Answers in Genesis officials looked at financial feasibility reports for the Ark attraction beginning with 1 million visitors and going up to 2.2 million guests.

We continue to move ahead with the Ark Encounter project. Find out more and discover how you can be a part of this exciting venture at www.arkencounter.com.

Thanks for stopping by and thanks for praying,

Ken