The leader of a Christian ministry says his group will file a federal discrimination lawsuit against the state over the rescinding of a tax rebate benefit for a Noah’s Ark attraction it’s building in northern Kentucky.
Answers in Genesis says the state committed “viewpoint discrimination” when it withdrew the $18 million benefit in December. Founder Ken Ham announced plans for the suit in an online video posted Tuesday.
"Every Christian, even if they don’t agree with our position on Genesis, should really be supportive of this and in fact, probably not just Christians because it relates to a much greater issue," he said.
Kentucky tourism officials say the group changed the mission of the project from tourist attraction to ministry and broke its pledge not to discriminate based on religion when hiring for the park.
But the group’s lawyer says state and federal law allow it to use a religious preference in hiring.
The suit will likely be filed this week.