Heritage USA

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Heritage USA is the now defunct 2,300 acre (9 km²) Christian theme park/water park/residential complex built in Fort Mill, South Carolina, USA, by "PTL Club" founders televangelist Jim Bakker and Tammy Faye Bakker.

Heritage USA opened in 1978, and by 1986 was one of the top vacation destinations in the nation, right behind Walt Disney World and Disneyland, attracting nearly 6 million visitors annually and employing more than 2,000 people. The water park was named Heritage Island. However, after Jim Bakker's legal and personal troubles made headlines starting in 1987, Heritage USA closed.

The September 21, 1987 issue of Time Magazine noted that Jerry Falwell "plunged" down a 163-foot (50 m) "hellish" water slide in fulfillment to "a promise made during a fund-raising drive that netted $20 million for the debt-ridden PTL."[1] This drive eventually took The PTL Club (PTL stood for both "Praise The Lord" and "People That Love") and Heritage USA from Jim Bakker.[2] It is noted that "Bakker arranged for Falwell to take over PTL in March in an effort to avoid what he called a "hostile takeover" of the television ministry by people threatening to expose a sexual encounter he admitted to having seven years earlier with church secretary Jessica Hahn."[3]

Photos circulated of the event of Typhoon waterslide at Heritage Island inside the Heritage theme park in which Falwell remained fully clothed. It was selected as "The Best of Photojournalism" in 1987 Pictures of the Year book presented by the National Press Photographers Association.[4] In September 1999, The Associated Press selected it as one of the top 100 national photos of the century.[5]

In the midst of Heritage USA high point, which earned $126 million a year, the IRS revoked the tax exemption. Soon after Bakker's federal indictment and public condemnation sexual affair attendance dropped. Falwell argued "PTL's Heritage USA complex in Fort Mill, S.C., was competing unfairly against tax-paying tourist attractions, and that the tax-exempt ministry should be separated from the running of hotels and amusement parks."[6] Under Falwell's leadership, Heritage USA sought "Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection with debts estimated at $72 million."[7]

The 165,000 people who gave $1,000 to Jim Bakker's planned Heritage U.S.A. resort in return for promised four-day vacation stays received $6.54 each.[8] Pictures of the park (including the water-park Heritage Island) remain accessible online and over the years projects have been constructed on the vast lands of the former Christian-theme park.[9]

Contents

[edit] Since the closure

In 1992, the Heritage USA property was bought by a Malaysian investment group (Malayan United Industries Berhad — MUI Corporation) and is now known as Regent Park. MUI is also the parent company of Laura Ashley USA which moved its headquarters and distribution center to the property. MUI, through its local subsidiary, Regent Carolina Corporation built a large golf course and residential development on the majority of the former Heritage USA property. They attempted for a short period of time in the 1990's to operate the 501-room hotel and resort under a management agreement with Radisson Hotels but the complex was not successful as a secular venture without it's religious emphasis and ultimately closed and fell into disrepair.

In December 2004, the remainder of the Heritage USA property was sold to Coulston Enterprises, a local developer. Coulston Enterprises sold portions of the property formerly housing the PTL Ministry to MorningStar Ministries of Charlotte, North Carolina and Flames-of-Fire Ministries of Fort Mill, South Carolina. They are now in process of renovating the property and buildings back to their original condition. Coulston Enterprises has planned a mixed-use development featuring single family homes, town homes, shops and ministry-related functions on the remainder of the property. The former Heritage Grand Hotel will be used as a retreat and conference center as well as a church for MorningStar's local congregation. The hotel complex has been renamed "H.I.M." for Heritage International Ministries. The unfinished Heritage Grand Tower will be completed and used as a hospice and assisted living facility/retirement home. The property encompassing the former PTL Television Studios, The Upper Room, The Amphitheater, Barn Auditorium, Campgrounds and Bunkhouses has been renamed Crown International by Flames-of-Fire Ministry.

[edit] Trivia

  • According to a 1991 Charisma (magazine) article, the theme park was briefly owned by evangelist Morris Cerullo. However, due to disagreement between Cerullo and the co-owners, it led to his being bought out after barely a year.

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

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