By LISA MARCHESONI Senior Writer

Families will explore Noah's Ark, tour a working Galilean village and examine Biblical exhibits if Bible Park USA opens in Rutherford County's Blackman community.

Project sponsor Armon Bar-Tur shared his vision of the family-friendly education and entertainment park during three days of small neighborhood meetings last week.

The non-denominational park will feature Bible stories as part of a cultural history, he said.

"It's actually a story park," Bar-Tur said.

Sponsors have an option and contract on a farm and other homes on Blackman Road where they hope to develop the 200-acre park with an investment between $150 million and $200 million. They await a bill before the Tennessee Legislature to allow Rutherford County to establish an entertainment zone with tax incremental financing.

If the bill passes, developers hope to start negotiations with Rutherford County officials by the end of the summer.

"If we get approval, we'll be here," Bar-Tur said.

The park would hire 200 to 300 fulltime employees and 500 to 1,000 seasonal employees, Bar-Tur told area governmental and business leaders in an April meeting. The park expects 800,000 to one million visitors annually.

While area officials are awaiting more information, some members of the Blackman community are speaking against development of the park with a Web site in opposition already established.

Sponsors considered Branson, Mo., Nashville and Pigeon Forge but decided on Murfreesboro because of its location and proximity to several interstates. Bar-Tur noted the Murfreesboro is within one day's drive of 75 percent of the U.S. population.

The park will depict well-known Bible stories with the quality of Disney World and the size of Dollywood. BRC Imagination Arts, which has completed projects at Disneyland/MGM and Universal, will design the park. HOK Sport Venue Event is master planner. HOK is known for Camden Yards, Heinz Field and the new Wembley Stadium.

An advisory council composed of citizens, ministers, educators and religious experts will choose the initial attractions for both the Old and New Testament portions of the park, each with a themed anchor attraction.

Using designs on his laptop computer, Bar-Tur explained some visions that include:

· An entry similar to the Gates of Jericho. Visitors will walk over a bridge and view the Dead Sea and the Sea of Galilee.

· A Galilean working village.

"This is the historical part of the park," Bar-Tur explained.

· An exhibit similar to an Imax presentation that simulates flying over the Judean desert, hovers over the Temple in Jerusalem before its destruction, and flies over hanging gardens of Babylon and the Great Pyramid and other attractions of ancient Egypt.

·A Tree of Life and a Tree of Knowledge will be included in a pastoral Garden of Eden. Adam and Eve will be depicted lying on the ground. Visitors may have their own interpretation of creation or evolution.

"If you want a religious perspective on the park, you will come with your minister," Bar-Tur said.

· The Exodus experience features waves of water that will provide a water screen to show the movie of "Exodus." Moses will stand before the flames of the burning bush.

· Children will play through a depiction of Noah's ark while actors dressed as animals will help recount that biblical story.

· A theater group from Pennsylvania will present Bible stories in a theater.

"This can work," Bar-Tur said.

· In the New Testament area, the Bible will be inscribed on stone tablet walls much like the Vietnam Veteran's Memorial in Washington D.C. Visitors may use the walls to study the Bible.

· The Dome of Light is a museum with exhibits similar to those of the Dead Sea Scrolls, the Metropolitan Museum of Art or the Frist Center in Nashville.

· A studio where musical artists and area students may record.

· A teen area with a boutique and coffeehouse.

Tour guides will dress like the movie "Indiana Jones" character. The site will be surrounded by earth berms and a major traffic study is under way.

"This is going to be a great project," Bar-Tur said. "We want it to happen here."

Lisa Marchesoni may be reached at 869-0814 or at lmarchesoni@murfreesboropost.com.