This is an extended version of the interview by FOX 13 News reporter Chris Reed with Liberty Village Chairman Lex Howard and President Dennis Leavitt.
Chris: What is it that's going up right behind us?
Dennis: What's going up is a place called Liberty Village. We call it a themed park, an American history-themed park. An educational center for youth and for families.
Chris: You use the word theme with an -ed. What's the difference?
Dennis: Because it's all about American history. It's a 32-acre… and if we say the word campus and some people say, "Oh, private school?" The answer's no, it's a destination. It's a, think of it as a visitor's type center for educational groups, for youth and families, for visitors to Washington County. And if we say theme park, some people think roller coasters. And we say, no, not roller coasters, educational opportunities—really immersive, exciting educational opportunities.
Chris: You said this is gonna be the plaza right here?
Dennis: So if you look out, this is just the entryway, which will be the parking lot and the entry plaza to Liberty Village. Liberty Village is slated in phases. So phase one should be done, call it April, May in that range, and then we'll start working on phase two. Overall, the 32 acres include 21 iconic buildings from America's history that will be built to scale. Replica buildings on the outside, and then when you open the doors, they're going to be magical entertainment centers inside.
Chris: Lex, what would be the 30-second elevator pitch for Liberty Village?
Lex: I would just say, the thing that makes Liberty Village different than going to a museum is that you actually interact with people. Washington's gonna be walking the streets. Adams and Ben, you're gonna be able to shake their hands and ask them questions. And the things that they're gonna be talking to you about are what was actually happening in their time.
Dennis: Kids don't necessarily enjoy going to a museum, you know? They don't jump back in the car and go, "When do I get to go back to the museum, Mom?" What they want is an experience. They want it to be interactive, and that's what you're gonna experience here. But when you step foot on this ground, it will feel like you're living in the 1700s. We've got staff who are sixth-generation blacksmiths and fourth-generation potters. We're going to have historical actors and actresses—we call them interpreters—who are going to stay in roles. So you won't talk to George Washington about the internet, he'd have no idea what that is. And he'll tell you that. We're nonpartisan, non-denominational. This is not about politics. It's about our history—the good, the bad, and the ugly. And we want to learn from the bad and improve upon it. We want to remember the good and amplify it.
Lex: We feel like the East Coast does a phenomenal job at teaching children about American history. We don't have the sites to do it on the West Coast. You know, growing up, we had to go all the way to the East Coast and, you know, it was an expensive trip and it had to be two weeks because we had to go from this building to that building.
Chris: So no robot George Washingtons?
Dennis: We're going to use technology. We live in a world where everything from AI to interactive computers can engage youth and families. They spend a lot of time on their phones. So we don't want to disrupt or disregard, I should say, the value of that kind of powerful education, but certainly, it's going to feel authentic and genuine and real. Not with robots so much, but with people who are able to talk.
Lex: We will have people driving down SR-7 that had no idea that this thing was here, and they're going to see Monticello, or they'll see, you know... St. John's Church or Independence Hall or the Green Dragon Tavern.
Chris: This was first announced in 2021. Ideas evolve over time, from napkin to blueprint to now we're in construction. What has evolved? What has changed, would you say, from then to now?
Dennis: I would call Lex Howard one of the founding minds behind this project. And my commitment is that we don't change that much from the initial vision to where we're at. As the president of the organization, I'm proud to say that the vision that we established initially is only being enhanced but not altered or changed.
Chris: Groundbreaking was in 2022, and someone might ask, “What’s taking so long?”
Dennis: What's taken the time? We have to raise money for this. We've raised over $30 million in the last two years. We still have some money to raise to go. But it's not because we're changing. It's because we're building it without debt, line upon line, bit by bit, as we go. We have been working with municipalities, government leaders, and the government workforce in order to make sure all the appropriate T's were crossed and I's were dotted. We want to be good partners with the city of Hurricane and with Washington County. So all of the engineering, designing, approvals, the zoning—all of those kinds of things simply take time. The underground utility work on any project takes a lot longer, and you don't even see it. It's all underground and buried, but it's a lot of the heavy expense and a lot of the time-consuming part of it. We've raised over $30 million, and what that's done is the infrastructure and the utilities that are needed to run the village. It's also funded phase one and phase two, which are completely funded. And right now, we're raising money for phase three.
Chris: Can you describe each phase?
Dennis: Phase one is infrastructure. Think water, sewer, utilities, internet, all of those types of things. Parking lots and those types of support items that are needed in order for a project like this to function. It also includes a plaza. It includes a restroom that's required to be on site. Three presidential pavilions, which the foundations are being laid for right now, as well as all of the statuaries and all of those kinds of things that will be part of it. And then, in the center, you can see kind of a mound of dirt. That's the center of what we call the 13 Colonies Plaza. So a one-acre park surrounded by individual trees from each of the original 13 colonies. And in the hub of that kind of wheel is the Liberty Bell underneath a cupola from Independence Hall. So phase one is a park.
Chris: And phase two?
Dennis: The first three buildings are part of phase two: the Green Dragon Tavern, which will be right over where kind of the backhoe and dump truck are; Paul Revere's stable, which will be next door to it; and Isaiah Thomas' print shop.
Chris: What's the timetable of each phase right now?
Dennis: Phase one should be done about April-ish, May-ish. Think of phase two vertical construction starting in June-ish and then open to the public. Our soft opening will be June 7th when we set the Liberty Bell. Our grand opening will be Sept. 17 when we cut ribbon to Liberty Village to welcome the public in a grand way. Why did we choose June 7? That's the date the Liberty Bell was set in Philadelphia for the first time. So we ought to set our Liberty Bell on that same date. Why Sept. 17? That's Constitution Day. We’re also doing something on April 19, the 250th anniversary of the shot heard around the world that's when we're going to set our first statue in place at Liberty Village
Lex: I also think that it should be said that this project is a whole lot different than any other project in Utah, maybe ever. And it's in this one way. This is America's village. And so we got America involved in this planning process early on. And so we really made what another developer would say, we announced this pretty dang early because we wanted the public to be involved in it. We could have waited probably a year and a half or even two years before we announced what we were doing. But the reason why we did it is because this project's for America and we wanted your involvement.
Chris: What about America 250 … the 250th birthday of the United States?
Dennis: Our dream right now is by July 4th, 2026 to build the Declaration House where Jefferson drafted the Declaration of Independence. We want that open to the public by July 4th, 2026 on its 250th birthday.
That building in Philadelphia right now is not open to the public. It's a building that since 2012 has not had public access because it's in such a state of disrepair. We're going to make a statement for this nation when on that birthday of that document, we have a replica building where it was drafted. It's a $3.5 million fundraise between now and then. Some people would say, how are you going to do that? The answer is we'll find a way, the same way we found $30 million over the past two years.
Chris: I know like one of those ways is this week on Capitol Hill. You're asking for about $3 million. So I have to ask, why should the taxpayer get a bill?
Dennis: This is a great tourist attraction that will support and add to Utah's tax base without question. Secondly, we are a tremendous support to education, not only in Washington County, but in the state of Utah. And as taxpayers, we always do our part to help elevate and lift education. We think Liberty Village is a worthwhile project to ensure that civics education is improved.Have you seen the civic scores across the nation or in Utah? There was a 2022 study showing that civic scores in this state are at an all-time low. It's a crisis. Lex said it best. This is America's village. We're looking for people to just chip in. We've had tens of thousands of donors up to this point. We're a nonprofit, so we're very cautious and careful with that money. We don't mistreat it. We’re very frugal with our expenditures. We spend it in the places that are going to add to the educational experience. That's why we say we're a non-debt project.We're not spending donor money on interest payments. That would be silliness.
Chris: What’s your favorite part of the project?
Lex: My most favorite part of this project is 100% the people that will be walking the streets. To have Washington walking the streets and other people that are founders. I look at Liberty Village as a stage.
I was raised in a lot of theater and I just love the opportunity that kids will have to actually shake their hands. Kids are sitting on screens all day right now. I have seven kids and they're involved in things that I really wish they weren't just staring at all day long. And to get them out on the street, and then also to bring some of the things about our history forward that aren't talked about anymore.Some of the stories and some of the characters of the 18th century that have been forgotten. We will revive them. I can't wait to be walking the streets and for myself, be like one of those kids shaking people's hands and asking them questions.
Dennis: One of my favorite parts is something that's not going to cost a lot of money, comparatively speaking. The 13 Colonies Plaza may be my favorite part. Maybe because it's first and we're just so anxious. But think about 13 individual colonies that will be represented by their state flag as well as a tree that's indigenous to that part of the country. And in the center of that plaza, will rest the Liberty Bell with a symbolic message that in this nation we've always found a way to come together. We've found a way to overcome our differences. We've found a way to compromise. We've found a way to have civil dialogue. We don't do it so well right now, but Liberty Village is going to be a place where we can teach that and exemplify it symbolically that this is one nation, under God and we will always do all we can to make sure that it's indivisible.
Chris: You’ve mentioned coming together. In the last couple of months, some have said there's too much diversity and equity. Is that something you guys agree with?
Lex: We are focused on history. Honestly, I don't really care what the history, like Dennis said before, it's the good, the bad, and the ugly. I don't really know how to answer that other than I just want to pull the old stories and let them be told and let us learn from those stories. So I'm not worried about DEI or whatever it's called or those kinds of things. I guess we want everyone to be heard. That's important. But that's why we're building this is so that the men and women of the past can be heard too.
Chris: So there won’t be a partisan slant?
Lex: This is not a bipartisan theme park. It is a nonpartisan theme park. We're not trying to impress the Democrats or the Republicans. I'm sure everyone has their opinion.
Chris: I have to stay on the subject for a second. Some of the main spokesmen you’ve had touting this project are Glenn Beck and Dinesh D'Souza who have been viewed as polarizing.
Dennis: Yeah, we have been past that. While they get a lot of national credibility because of their name recognition or whatever, if we could tell you, everyone who's come and sat down in our offices or written checks or been here on site, they're people from all kinds of walks of life. We would love anybody
who agrees or disagrees with us, or who sees the world through their set of lenses different than ours, we would welcome them to come to Liberty Village and let's have a chat and visit about what we're doing. Certainly, there are some people who've been more engaged than others.
Chris: So you’re saying all are welcome?
Dennis: I'll say it this way. I'll quote Baal Shem Tov. In the Holocaust Museum in DC, my wife and I went through and had a tremendous wake up and learning and an emotional experience where we felt something. Not on the actual site, but a replica site of things that have taken place. So I know replica sites can impress and tug on your heartstrings and make you feel.
The last quote on the wall was from Baal Shem Tov that said, Remembrance brings redemption, while forgetfulness leads to exile. We have to look to our past to protect our future. And the rising generation has been built on the shoulders of giants. We want to remember those giants with their flaws and their heroic things that they've done.
Lex: Can I also say, Washington County is historically a very conservative place. And I grew up here and I'm the result of where I grow up. Along with anyone else, we are the subject of the environment that we live in. And so I associate with the people in this county. I just want to say what Dennis said as far as please,if you're not conservative and you have concern, walk into our offices. Because a lot of people already have, for example, the head of the Republican party has come and had meetings with us and the head of the Democratic Party in the state of Utah has come in and both are extremely excited for this project because, as both have said, “We don't understand how you're keeping this so nonpartisan, but more power to you.”
Chris: Are there any name drops you can give of some of those visitors?
Dennis: We want to be careful because we appreciate the generosity of our donors. Some have asked to remain anonymous and we certainly do not want to tout their names in inappropriate ways
Chris: I’ve talked to some who have a fear of bias here.
Lex: Well, first of all, history is history. And we're going to do our very best at bringing people here to let them make a choice. I'll just speak from personal experience. My seven children, I will be so excited the day that I have both Democrat and Republican children. I can't tell you how much I believe in that. The problem in our nation is a lack of education. It's not a lack of I'm a Republican or I'm a Democrat because we got too much of that right now. We need to make sure that people come here and educate themselves so that they can make their own decisions.
Dennis: All I want to say is, and I'll use you as an example. For everything we've been talking about, if all of a sudden on the chopping room floor, what comes out of this kind of impressive, inspiring message is that Tim Ballard spoke at an event once that we were a sponsor of. If that's what comes out of this, then we've messed everything. We're building a $160 million campus on the shoulders of private donors and it ought to feel inspiring and uplifting and shame on us or shame on you if all that comes out of it is some controversial name.
Editor’s Note: In a July 2022 story in the Salt Lake Tribune, Leavitt said Ballard had a role in developing the curriculum of United We Pledge, the parent organization of Liberty Village.
Lex: Yeah, Ballard spoke at an event once. I don't think he's a donor to Liberty Village. I'll have to go back and look at the record. I hope he is. But that's not the point of why we're here, if that makes sense. And I hope that doesn't make the headlines here.
Chris: I wanted to give you guys a chance to address that, and Lex, I have to address one thing with you. You know, the rumor mill on you is your company and this is for Scientology. Can you address that at all?
Lex: For the sake of being clear of myself, I'm a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and proud to be. No way do I have any membership or affiliation with the Church of Scientology. And if anybody has any question or wants to know any deeper information, then they should walk into my office and knock on my door and talk to me.
But this interview isn't about balance of nature. This interview is about Liberty Village. This interview is all about how we're giving back to America. And to be completely blunt and honest, I don't care who's doing its on whatever religious viewpoint.
Chris: Getting past that, back to this project. Do you have a favorite founding father?
Lex: Liberty Village is 100% on the 18th century. We talk about our true founding fathers, the guys that were the framers of this country. And my favorite person is actually a woman by the name of Elizabeth Powell, and she will be represented here also. She's the lady that was standing outside of the building when Benjamin Franklin stepped out and she said, so what have you given us, a republic or a monarchy? And he said, a republic, if you can keep it. And that's what this whole project is about. This is our way of making sure that we're keeping it. And so Elizabeth Powell is really who inspired this entire project.
Chris: Anything I haven't mentioned that you want to say about this project?
Dennis: I will say because we're standing here in construction vests and hard hats and watching people who are on the front lines, I would want to say thanks to the people who are helping do the construction, seriously. As builders, I think they do a lot of things and work on projects that may not be so meaningful. And I appreciate the construction industry who I think has a vision that they're putting in time and energy and effort on something that will be a lasting legacy.
