More than a dozen local business owners united in favor of the Bible Theme Park USA and announced their alliance at a Thursday press conference….
Peter Demos with Demo’s Steak and Spaghetti House says this is an economic opportunity Rutherford County can’t let pass by. Especially with the cost of building schools for a residential development, if this project fails…
Sharon Petty, who owns Carriage Lane Inn, believes the Bible Theme Park will stimulate the local economy…
Blackman resident and small business owner John Brockwell talks about the change he’s seen in the area since he moved in 25-years ago. He says what was once farm land was split by 840 and now is surrounded by a new grocery, mall stores and a 10-story motel. Brockwell says the only thing constant is change. The group says they prefer to have an economic stimulus in Blackman versus the potential of 800 new homes. The committee is collecting signatures from other business owners and a copy of the petition is at the Rutherford County Chamber of Commerce.
Business owners who have joined the effort:
Sharon Petty – Carriage Lane Inn
John Brockwell – Ideas Tees
Steve Harrison – SEC Inc.
Kevin Mack – Alco Products
Thad McKeller – Unison Construction
Melissa Warren – Home Health Services
Joi Sherrill – Realtor
Steven Dotson – Red Realty
Peter Demos – Demos’ Restaurants
Bubpha Butchareon – Bangkok Thai Cuisine
Stan Vaught – Bob Parks Auction
Carolyn Miller – Carolyn’s Creations
Roy Bowdon – Smyrna Bowling Center
Dow Smith – Dow Smith Contracting Co.
Don Wright – Billboard Consultant Advertising
Blake Smith – Smith’s Design and Build
John Neal – Neal’s Lighting Center
For more information or to get involved, e-mail supportthepark@gmail.com
May 1, 2008 at 10:58 pm
Glad to have a list of businesses to avoid, I can add them to my list along with Demos’.
May 2, 2008 at 1:28 am
Are you kidding me? Look anonymous – - this bible park is a great idea. Why would you not want tax revenue generated by people who are not from here. Jerk.
May 2, 2008 at 3:34 am
i would like to know where Rick lives? Do you live where the traffic will affect you on a daily basis? I live right beside where the proposed site is at and i do not like the idea of it at all. I do believe that if it was going in their back yard like ours you would be against it and want to avoid or boycott the business that was in favor of it. I know several of these people personally and they live on the other side of town so all they see is dollar signs like most people that are for it. Put yourself in our shoes for just a few moments and tell me honestly in your heart would you want this if it were going to be your next door neighboro?
May 2, 2008 at 1:04 pm
No Rick, I am not kidding you. This may seem like a good idea if the numbers where at all realistic. Do you honestly believe that a million plus visitors a year will attend this Bible Park? If something was going in that I felt could turn a profit and generate tax dollars from visiors then I could see your point, but with the bogus estimates I will continue to boycott businesses that support it. And to me, it sounds like you are the one being a Jerk.
May 2, 2008 at 4:36 pm
Is the sell point on the Bible Park revenue for Rutherford County? Or revenue for the City of Murfreesboro and six figure plus profit lines for City Businesses located within blocks to a mile of the Bible Park? (resturants, motels, yada yada) ?
Best guess the latter first, revenue second. Oh yes…located it off a major interstate, oh yea, it will bring jobs, and the list goes on of the real important things everyone presents as why we should have it in Rutherford County.
I’ve just got to ask onebrickshort of a load question….why was it never considered to be located out near the RACE TRACK ? By the way, did you know we had a race track in Rutherford County? All tucked away in the far end of the county, in an undisturbing area, far far away from Hotels, Resturants and yada yada. What farm land? What subdivisions? Superspeedway. Located in Rutherford County. Conviently off a major interstate (the same 840). Fullfilling all the above “perks” driving the Bible Park for Rutherford County, the bottom line…supposively for us residents, revenue to maintain school growth. Oh, of course, it’s an undeveloped part of the county. And out of the grasp of City of Murfreesboro control. And of course, it would mean you’d have to bring in some hotel chains way out there to support all the visitors…Demos would have to build a new restuarnt…yada yada. Nevermind the idea. It would cost business owners too much $$$$$. Just remembering how Opryland found it’s location…out in the middle of nothing (not convient to the City of Nashville…not in the middle of a prime family growth area….and how all the hotels and resturants found their way to it). The rest is history.
May 2, 2008 at 9:54 pm
OneBrickShort you are short, sorry. The Nashville SuperSpeedway is NOT in Rutherford County but WILSON COUNTY. The entrance road is in Rutherford County but not the facility. Some former County Commissioners voted against it so the Speedway moved about 200 feet in to Wilson County.
Get this, former County Mayor Nancy Allen pushed to get the Speedway an off-site sign for the Speedway. The sign would have been in Rutherford County advertising a business in Wilson County. But no other off-site signs would be allowed on HWY 840 in Rutherford County.
May 3, 2008 at 3:25 pm
We need the BIBLE PARK. It will generate 1-million visitors. EASY. No, the 1-million won’t come from Rutherford County, they will come from all over. Be sensible. And yes, I live in Blackman.
May 5, 2008 at 9:40 pm
Rick…I suggest you look at the attendance figures from theme parks across the US before you make guarantees…not a chance this park will ever draw 1MM visitors. BTW, I think this park, God forbid it is ever built, will be a gleaming example of statistical Christians vs. ACTUAL Christians. The number of people calling themselves Christian is way way higher than those willing to spend money being Christian.
May 8, 2008 at 12:50 am
You don’t have to spend money to be a Christian. I just hope one person or so per year decides to become a Christian after seeing this display. Are you a Christian? You know, us Christians are far from perfect. I could be wrong on this park issue or you could be wrong. Just like I was wrong earlier for calling Anonomyous a Jerk. Sorry anaonomyous, I am a human Christian. I also can’t spell.