Holy Land Experience opening for 2 free days
Holy Land Experience, the Bible-based attraction with high visibility from Interstate 4, will have two free days of admission next week to its Scriptorium and the indoor Jerusalem model, says Trinity Broadcasting Networks, its owner.
The attraction will be open April 28-29, starting at 10 a.m., the California-based company said Wednesday. Parking will be free as well.
Face coverings will be required and social distancing encouraged. There will be limited entry requirements.
The attraction, which opened in 2001, has been closed throughout the coronavirus pandemic, and it had been struggling before that.
In January 2020, it announced it would close its stage shows while re-evaluating the use of its property near the intersection of Interstate 4 and Conroy Road. In February 2020, it said it was laying off 118 people, the bulk of its employees, in a corporate-wide reorganization.
Its shift from entertainment
DEWAYNE BEVIL/ORLANDO SENTINEL to education, including the Jerusalem model and Scriptorium, was to kick in after Easter.
In the past, Holy Land Experience, in exchange for a property tax exemption, offered free admission one day each year. The free days typically drew big crowds, sometimes reaching park capacity.
Last year, the Sentinel reported that continuing to display Scriptorium artifacts meant Holy Land Experience could continue benefiting from a tax break granted in 2006 that let it avoid paying property taxes as long as it displays biblical artifacts and offers one free admission day a year. At that time, the park had saved more than $3 million in property taxes with that break, according to the Orange County Property Appraiser’s Office.
“With its colorful and realistic recreations of ancient Israel, unforgettable interactive exhibits, and special hands-on fun for kids of all ages, the Holy Land Experience brings the Word of the Bible to life,” reads the Holy Land Experience website, which now shows two paragraphs of information.
The attraction once featured multiple shows, including productions inside the rounded, 2,000seat Church of All Nations building near the highway.
Live Church Orlando has been holding in-person worship services on the property.
In early 2020, officials said the sale of the property was among the options to be considered. Nearby businesses include luxury auto dealerships, office plazas, convenience stores and apartment complexes. It is about a mile away from Mall at Millenia.
Orange County lists Holy Land Experiences Ministries Inc. is listed as the owner of the 8.7 acres.