A lot of attention in the past weeks and months in Rutherford County has been focused on the proposed Bible Park USA. There are valid questions from many perspectives about the project, as there are with any large-scale development. From a tourism standpoint, the Bible Park would mean a huge boost to our economy.
The goal of the Convention and Visitors Bureau is to bring more visitors into the county. Tourism is one of the largest industries in Tennessee. Employing 381,400 individuals and generating $13.4 billion in revenues in 2006, tourism indeed has become one of Tennessee's most important "cash crops."
What does this mean to us? The dollars that travelers spend are re-circulated back into the local, state and national economies and directly benefit other related industries, which rely on tourism for their survival and growth. This multiplier benefits virtually everyone in the U.S., by generating tax revenues, which help to pave our roads, educate our children and provide health care for our citizens. Travel spending also helps support shopping and historical areas, art galleries, museums and many cultural and community events. Visitors come to our community and eat in our restaurants, stay in our hotels and shop in our stores and then they go back home and we don't have to worry about educating their children or building new roads or sewers for them.
Our 2006 impact figures show that travelers to Rutherford County spent $215,820,000. That is a 10.52 percent increase over the previous year. The local tourism industry supports 2,030 jobs and generates a payroll of $37,670,000. These travelers also generated $13,020,000 in state taxes and $4,570,000 in local taxes.
Dollars spent by travelers produce a ripple effect, which is felt through every aspect of our community and beyond. By increasing our sales tax base, tourism dollars allow the city and county governments more revenue, and thus help keep property taxes from rising. We have estimated that the tax burden for each Rutherford County household is reduced by $196 per year due to the revenues generated by tourism. Although the County Commission has not yet voted on the Bible Park, I strongly believe the park will provide a huge boost to our economy and therefore it merits a close look by all city and county officials.
Obviously, the Bible Park would bring tourists in substantial numbers to see this one-of-a-kind historical and educational attraction, and would certainly entice them from all over the country. According to Terri Sterling, owner of Sterling Communications and a spokesperson for the Bible Park USA, the estimated visitation for the park is 1.5 million visitors annually.
The 275-acre park would feature visualizations of famous Bible stories as well as depictions of life in ancient Bible times. Proposed attractions include a Bible Land Fly-Through indoor ride, the Exodus Experience with standing tall waves, a recreation of Noah's Ark for small children to play inside, and a Teen area with a key attraction, The Bible - The Greatest Adventure Ever, and a coffee house, sports arcade and retail shops.
The park would also feature a state-of-the-art recording studio, a theater for plays and indoor concerts, a reproduction of an authentic Galilean Village, a covered amphitheater for outdoor plays and acoustical musical events, a museum with traveling exhibits and gathering places for youth groups and Bible study groups next to a stone wall inscribed with the entire text of the New Testament.
Having such a unique attraction would certainly help to draw visitors to Rutherford County, keeping hotels full and cash registers ringing at our many restaurants and retail stores. It would also provide both seasonal and full-time jobs for our residents.
The Bible Park's presence in Rutherford County would greatly aid our marketing efforts for the new Embassy Suites Hotel and Conference Center, because we would have another family-friendly attraction, which would encourage conventioneers to bring their families and extend their stay in Rutherford County.
Daniel W. Hayes, Realtor
Comments (0)Subscribe to CommentsComment