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		<title>Abandoned Heritage USA Ft. Mill South Carolina</title>
		<link>http://www.flickr.com/groups/1260178@N23/</link>
 		<description>Abandoned complex pictures or old historical pictures of Heritage USA before it is totally gone.  This part of history does not deserve to be forgotten.

The defunct Heritage USA (PTL television) was a famous Christian Theme Park in Ft. Mill, SC. operated by Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker. The park in 1986 was 3rd in the nation behind Disneyland and Disney World with 6 million visitors. 

The convention center, hotel, mall, and restaurant were bought by Morningstar Ministries and renovated for their church. All the other relics are still on the grounds. 

Bakker was convicted of mail fraud, wire fraud, and conspiracy and sent to prison for 45 years (later commuted to 8 years). Tammy Faye divorced Bakker and married Messner, the designer and builder of the theme park. The park went bellyup when they lost their tax free status from the IRS. Tammy Faye Bakker Messner just recently passed away from Cancer. 

On the property you can find in decaying shape: Water Park Site, Amphitheatre, TV Studio, Go Cart Tracks, Castle, Tram Stops, Train Station, Decaying 500 room Condo Tower, Upper Room, as well as other artifacts in the woods. 

As I stated earlier the Hotel, Convention Center, Mall, and Restaurant have been renovated for a church. The area is slowly being swallowed up by home subdivisions. No matter how you feel about PTL the area is a really cool explore. I will post a few more pictures in a little while. A couple of the pictures have insets of the original look of the site so you can see how it once looked.
Enjoy
Mike 
</description>
		<pubDate>Sat, 29 Dec 2012 15:10:10 -0800</pubDate>
		<lastBuildDate>Sat, 29 Dec 2012 15:10:10 -0800</lastBuildDate>
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			<title>Abandoned Heritage USA Ft. Mill South Carolina</title>
			<link>http://www.flickr.com/groups/1260178@N23/</link>
		</image>

		<item>
			<title>Reply to The arena is gone!</title>
			<link>http://www.flickr.com/groups/1260178@N23/discuss/72157631981794611/72157632379270680/</link>
			<description>&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.flickr.com/people/mikewoodfin/&quot;&gt;Mike Woodfin&lt;/a&gt; posted a reply:&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Crap!  That was one of my favorite spots.  I knew it would be a matter of time but that doesn't make me feel any better.  I guess now our pics are historical record.&lt;/p&gt;</description>
			<pubDate>Sat, 29 Dec 2012 15:10:10 -0800</pubDate>
						<author flickr:profile="http://www.flickr.com/people/mikewoodfin/">nobody@flickr.com (Mike Woodfin)</author>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">tag:flickr.com,2004:/groupcomment/72157632379270680</guid>
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		<item>
			<title>Reply to Has this place been reopened?</title>
			<link>http://www.flickr.com/groups/1260178@N23/discuss/72157623940074486/72157632086533137/</link>
			<description>&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.flickr.com/people/17674979@N07/&quot;&gt;justin.riccio&lt;/a&gt; posted a reply:&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;The Upper Room has been reopened:  &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.upperroomchapel.com&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;www.upperroomchapel.com&lt;/a&gt;, as has The Barn auditorium: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.thebarnatregentpark.com&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;www.thebarnatregentpark.com&lt;/a&gt;, the TV studios: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.thebroadcastgroup.com&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;www.thebroadcastgroup.com&lt;/a&gt;, the campgrounds: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.crowncamping.com&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;www.crowncamping.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>
			<pubDate>Sat, 24 Nov 2012 10:03:37 -0800</pubDate>
						<author flickr:profile="http://www.flickr.com/people/17674979@N07/">nobody@flickr.com (justin.riccio)</author>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">tag:flickr.com,2004:/groupcomment/72157632086533137</guid>
                        		</item>
		<item>
			<title>The arena is gone!</title>
			<link>http://www.flickr.com/groups/1260178@N23/discuss/72157631981794611/</link>
			<description>&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.flickr.com/people/leicamaster/&quot;&gt;Kilgore Trout (leicamaster.)&lt;/a&gt; posted a new topic:&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;I went to Heritage yesterday and to my surprise they were demolishing the arena. All that remains is a big hole and a pile of rubble surrounding it.&lt;/p&gt;</description>
			<pubDate>Sun, 11 Nov 2012 08:38:27 -0800</pubDate>
						<author flickr:profile="http://www.flickr.com/people/leicamaster/">nobody@flickr.com (Kilgore Trout (leicamaster.))</author>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">tag:flickr.com,2004:/grouptopic/72157631981794611</guid>
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		<item>
			<title>Reply to Thanks for starting this group!</title>
			<link>http://www.flickr.com/groups/1260178@N23/discuss/72157622459067489/72157631152787608/</link>
			<description>&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.flickr.com/people/leicamaster/&quot;&gt;Kilgore Trout (leicamaster.)&lt;/a&gt; posted a reply:&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;I still have to visit the amphitheater but do you guys know if that van is still there?&lt;/p&gt;</description>
			<pubDate>Sun, 19 Aug 2012 20:21:01 -0700</pubDate>
						<author flickr:profile="http://www.flickr.com/people/leicamaster/">nobody@flickr.com (Kilgore Trout (leicamaster.))</author>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">tag:flickr.com,2004:/groupcomment/72157631152787608</guid>
                        		</item>
		<item>
			<title>Reply to Thanks for starting this group!</title>
			<link>http://www.flickr.com/groups/1260178@N23/discuss/72157622459067489/72157624211798220/</link>
			<description>&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.flickr.com/people/17674979@N07/&quot;&gt;justin.riccio&lt;/a&gt; posted a reply:&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;There is a Facebook group also.  It's called &amp;quot;Remembering PTL &amp;amp; Heritage USA&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;</description>
			<pubDate>Sat, 05 Jun 2010 18:19:17 -0700</pubDate>
						<author flickr:profile="http://www.flickr.com/people/17674979@N07/">nobody@flickr.com (justin.riccio)</author>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">tag:flickr.com,2004:/groupcomment/72157624211798220</guid>
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		<item>
			<title>Reply to Has this place been reopened?</title>
			<link>http://www.flickr.com/groups/1260178@N23/discuss/72157623940074486/72157624211786380/</link>
			<description>&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.flickr.com/people/17674979@N07/&quot;&gt;justin.riccio&lt;/a&gt; posted a reply:&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Most of Heritage USA is now residential - single family residences, condos and townhomes.  Also a golf course was added in the 1990's.  The community and golf course are now called Regent Park.  Many of the Heritage USA buildings and attractions are now gone; however the hotel complex survived and is owned by MorningStar Fellowship Church.  They purchased 52 of the 1100+ acres that were Heritage USA and they include the Heritage Grand Hotel (which is open and operating), the unfinished Towers, Main Street USA and The Bunkhouses.  They renamed their portion of the property Heritage International Ministries.  &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.heritageinternational.org&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;www.heritageinternational.org&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>
			<pubDate>Sat, 05 Jun 2010 18:16:17 -0700</pubDate>
						<author flickr:profile="http://www.flickr.com/people/17674979@N07/">nobody@flickr.com (justin.riccio)</author>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">tag:flickr.com,2004:/groupcomment/72157624211786380</guid>
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		<item>
			<title>Has this place been reopened?</title>
			<link>http://www.flickr.com/groups/1260178@N23/discuss/72157623940074486/</link>
			<description>&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.flickr.com/people/38176539@N08/&quot;&gt;evie valo&lt;/a&gt; posted a new topic:&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;I was doing a bit of research about Heritage USA online and there were many articles saying that it was either reopened or would soon be reopened. Anyone know exactly what the state of Heritage USA is?&lt;/p&gt;</description>
			<pubDate>Mon, 26 Apr 2010 18:52:09 -0700</pubDate>
						<author flickr:profile="http://www.flickr.com/people/38176539@N08/">nobody@flickr.com (evie valo)</author>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">tag:flickr.com,2004:/grouptopic/72157623940074486</guid>
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		<item>
			<title>Reply to Thanks for starting this group!</title>
			<link>http://www.flickr.com/groups/1260178@N23/discuss/72157622459067489/72157623172839286/</link>
			<description>&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.flickr.com/people/mikewoodfin/&quot;&gt;Mike Woodfin&lt;/a&gt; posted a reply:&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Thanks for the submission.  I agree.  I only wish that I lived close enough to visit regularly.&lt;/p&gt;</description>
			<pubDate>Sat, 09 Jan 2010 06:16:19 -0800</pubDate>
						<author flickr:profile="http://www.flickr.com/people/mikewoodfin/">nobody@flickr.com (Mike Woodfin)</author>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">tag:flickr.com,2004:/groupcomment/72157623172839286</guid>
                        		</item>
		<item>
			<title>Reply to Thanks for starting this group!</title>
			<link>http://www.flickr.com/groups/1260178@N23/discuss/72157622459067489/72157623031555349/</link>
			<description>&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.flickr.com/people/shootingblanks/&quot;&gt;KaTrina Blanks&lt;/a&gt; posted a reply:&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Thanks for the group.  I have been down there a number of time and its one of my favorite places to shot location portraits.  It gives so many wonderful back drops.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
These was one of my best shots!!   The grand doors to the outdoor amphitheater &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.flickr.com/photos/shootingblanks/2749092291/&quot;&gt;&lt;img class='notsowide' src=&quot;http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3195/2749092291_7e89a9ebc1.jpg&quot; width=&quot;316&quot; height=&quot;500&quot; alt=&quot;DSC_0427&quot; /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
This was one of two VW Buses that spent months down on the property.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.flickr.com/photos/shootingblanks/2749927826/&quot;&gt;&lt;img class='notsowide' src=&quot;http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3158/2749927826_b8305f669f.jpg&quot; width=&quot;500&quot; height=&quot;316&quot; alt=&quot;CityscapePhotoFrame&quot; /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Will have to go digging and find the rest that I have but never had a reason to post! &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Thanks again&lt;/p&gt;</description>
			<pubDate>Wed, 06 Jan 2010 17:16:40 -0800</pubDate>
						<author flickr:profile="http://www.flickr.com/people/shootingblanks/">nobody@flickr.com (KaTrina Blanks)</author>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">tag:flickr.com,2004:/groupcomment/72157623031555349</guid>
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			<title>Reply to Was Jim Bakker treated fairly?</title>
			<link>http://www.flickr.com/groups/1260178@N23/discuss/72157622592117008/72157622635107741/</link>
			<description>&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.flickr.com/people/mikewoodfin/&quot;&gt;Mike Woodfin&lt;/a&gt; posted a reply:&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Yeah , I tend to agree.  However, he seemed to be more stupid in business dealings than sinister.  He was originally convicted for 45 years which I believe was too much.  It was later commuted to 8 years,  I think, which is more in line with his stupid act.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
He was most assuredly double crossed by the late Jerry Falwell.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
He has a new show now on the religious channel.  I think he has learned his lessons.&lt;/p&gt;</description>
			<pubDate>Sun, 08 Nov 2009 04:27:04 -0800</pubDate>
						<author flickr:profile="http://www.flickr.com/people/mikewoodfin/">nobody@flickr.com (Mike Woodfin)</author>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">tag:flickr.com,2004:/groupcomment/72157622635107741</guid>
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