The possible location of a privately run state prison in Jenkins County has breathed hope into the small town of Millen.

The creation of at least 300 jobs by Corrections Corp. of America in a county with a nearly 20 percent unemployment rate would provide a big boost and potentially draw other industries, officials said.

"We're just kind of praying it will work out in our favor this time," Millen Mayor King Rocker said.

Several Jenkins County representatives, including Mr. Rocker, plan to travel to Atlanta today to present Gov. Sonny Perdue with more than 2,000 cards signed by residents pledging support for the proposed prison.

The Georgia Department of Corrections is expected to announce the winning bid for the 1,000-bed facility by the first week of November, CCA spokeswoman Louise Grant said. Department of Corrections representatives said they could not disclose how many other bids were in the mix before the award was announced. Ms. Grant said she believed the process would be "competitive" and said she would guess at least three other companies have submitted bids. CCA is the only company that has promised to put the facility in Jenkins County.

Jenkins County, with a population of 8,500, would benefit from the added jobs, tax dollars and potential new businesses, said Paula Herrington, the executive director of the Millen/Jenkins County Chamber of Commerce and Jenkins County Development Authority.

"It would be a big attraction, believe it or not," she said.

The county would have to make infrastructure improvements in areas such as water and sewer lines and roads to prepare for a prison. Mr. Rocker said the county should qualify for grant money and estimated the cost to taxpayers for improvements at between $300,000 and $400,000.

The prison would likely generate $1.4 million in yearly utility payments and property taxes -- with property taxes accounting for at least $500,000, Mrs. Grant said.

About 400 people attended a public meeting Monday that included county and CCA officials, something Mrs. Herrington pointed to as a sign of support.

"The area's economy is absolutely terrible. We don't have any industry left," Mrs. Herrington said. "The jobs that are left mostly are retail businesses or others of that sort. They are just hanging on by a shoestring because we don't have anyone working."

A prison would provide people not just with a paycheck, but also career opportunities, Ms. Grant said. Jobs run the gamut from counselors and front office staff to teachers and doctors.

"Working in a prison is a fairly recession-proof career, and working at a national company like CCA is not just a job, it truly is a career," she said, noting that CSA has 17,000 employees in 20 states. "The opportunity for rapid advancement is significant."

The prison could open as soon as 12 months to 15 months after a decision is made, she said.