Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Three Towns Make Short List For Prison Site

And then there were three.

Prescott, Malvern and Pine Bluff are the three cities remaining in the hunt for a new medium security prison to be built.

Walt Denton, director of the Prescott-Nevada County Economic Development Office, said he was notified Friday by the Arkansas Department of Correction (ADC) of Prescott's being on the short list.

He, along with local political leaders and regional representatives, will go to Pine Bluff Thursday to make a presentation on why the prison should be built in Prescott.

To help the local cause, Denton began a fax campaign, sending letters of support for Prescott to the ADC. This, he said, will be done until Wednesday afternoon.

He got the idea of a fax campaign from other communities having successfully done them.

"I don't know what Malvern and Pine Bluff have to offer," he said of the other two cities on the list.

"Prescott," Denton continued, "could get Camden's support for the prison as it would be beneficial to Camden. We're pushing it's time Southwest Arkansas had the ADC make an investment here."

Denton said Prescott has an excellent site for such a facility and all the amenities of Interstate 30, along with regional support and plenty of medical services nearby.

"We want the ADC to know it won't end when the project is announced," he said. "Our goal is to keep meeting their needs."

The Arkansas State Transportation and Highway Department (ATHD) has issued a minute order to do a feasibility study for interstate access to the proposed site, he continued, with this also being faxed to the ADC.

Interstate access to this location, Denton added, is contingent on the prison being located there.

"We're taking the high road," he said, "on what the ADC needs and being on the same page they are. We're not worrying about offers others have made."

Denton said the ADC could make an announcement Thursday, but more than likely it would be later on.

"We'll have a solid group to take with us," Denton said, "and will be prepared for everything."

The facility plans call for 275 beds and at least 225 jobs to start. The base pay for the jobs will be $11 per hour, with state benefits.

Projected costs show it would take about $29 million to build the facility, which would generate $11 million in local revenue.

When the facility expands, it will require some 475 workers to watch a total of 780 inmates.

Denton said this is a "fast track" project, as construction is expected to begin in January, 2000, and be completed by November, 2000.

Such a facility, Denton said, would have a major impact on the local economy with the jobs created and payroll generated.