Tourism officials in Wilson County appear to have had their prayers answered.

Bible Park USA, a proposed $175 million "themed story park that brings the Bible to life," will be built on about 110 acres fronting Interstate 40 inside the city limits of Lebanon. Construction is expected to begin late next year, with the park opening in late 2010 or early 2011.

The Rutherford County Commission voted 12-9 in May to approve the first-of-its-kind park in America for the Blackman community. However, a little-used procedural quirk in Rutherford County law was determined by the county attorney to require a two-thirds majority or 14 votes on the 21-member commission. That decision is currently being litigated in state court by the landowners, Carol Shelton and family. A trial is scheduled for October.

The controversy around the two-thirds requirement led the park's developer to launch a two-state search for another site.

Sources tell NashvillePost.com that, despite a multimillion dollar offer from Kentucky tourism and economic development officials, Bible Park USA's developers, along with Wilson County and City of Lebanon leaders, will today announce that Wilson County has won the project. No word at this time what economic incentives were offered up in Wilson County.

Bible Park USA is the idea of Ronen Paldi, an Israeli-born American citizen who lives and works in Portland, Ore. In addition to seasonal jobs, developers of the park expect approximately "250 full-time and professional jobs that include the Park's top managers as well as full-time professionals in accounting, human resources, security, park operations and other disciplines necessary to keep the Park open and functioning year-round."

This is the second time that a major project that has failed in Rutherford County and has found a home in Wilson County. The Nashville Superspeedway was originally slated for Murfressboro only to end up in Gladeville.