MICHELLE WILLARD, Post Staff Writer
Posted: Monday, July 21, 2008 2:37 pm

Despite the fact the Rutherford County Board of Commissioners denied its rezoning request, Bible Park USA is planning a job fair at the Murfreesboro Double Tree Hotel May 10, 2009, according to an announcement on its Web site.

SafeHarbor Holding, LLC, the company behind Bible Park USA, has looked into other surrounding communities and has recently negotiated with Lebanon to locate the park in Wilson County.

“We are overwhelmed with inquiries from across Tennessee and Kentucky about sites for the Bible Park,” Armon Bar-Tur, executive director of SafeHarbor Holding, LLC, said previously.

In May Rutherford County Board of Commissioners rejected the proposed $175 million-200 million, 282-acre biblically themed park in Blackman Community after months of contentious debate.

Approval required a two-thirds majority vote after a valid petition was submitted to the Rutherford County Regional Planning Commission. The vote fell two votes short of the 14 needed with 12 voting in favor and nine voting against.

The Shelton family, which owns the 240 acres optioned by SafeHarbor, LLC for the development of Bible Park USA, filed suit against Rutherford County challenging the county’s denial of the park’s rezoning request.

The lawsuit requests the landowner petition be corrected, the zoning application approved and attorney’s fees be paid by the county. No specific damages were requested.

According to Bible Park USA’s Web site, the company is looking for employees in the following g areas:

- Construction and Trades
- Managers
- Accounting and Finance
- Marketing and Advertising
- Entertainers
- Seasonal Employment

The site also asks applications be submitted to jobs@bibleparkusa.com and inquires should be directed to the employment hotline at 615-631-9617.