A 1,000-bed private prison has been proposed in south Winslow in answer to a request for proposals made by the State of Arizona.
La Salle Southwest Corrections Corporation responded to the state bidding process by proposing a facility on Highway 87, just north of the existing state-run prison. The request for proposals is the first step in a process to add 5,000 prison beds across the state.
According to Winslow City Attorney Dale Patton, the project could bring an economic boost to the area.
“The City of Winslow is extremely excited and supportive of the submittal,” Patton noted. “It will mean a huge economic stimulus to the area, including more than 200 well-paying jobs.”
A conditional use permit for a prison on the site was approved a year ago. Facility Consultants LLC owner Keith Holbrook, who is working with La Salle on the proposed project in Winslow and also has partial ownership in the land on which the prison would be sited, explained that he has been working for some time to bring a prison to Winslow.
“Winslow is a jewel of a spot,” he said. “It’s been sleepy for a while, but it’s going to wake up.”
He noted that in addition to having highly desirable infrastructure for industrial and manufacturing companies, such as major freeway access, rail line and an airport, there is also an abundant supply of water.
“The aquifer they’re sitting on is tremendous,” he said. “Down south they’re running out of water.”
He noted that, to the best of his knowledge, all of the other proposals submitted to the state are for locations in southern Arizona. Holbrook also noted that at some point, water availability is going to become a major factor in locating prisons.
“They’re going to have to decide, do they want to use the water for the people in the big house, or for the citizens in their own houses,” he remarked.
Holbrook explained that in addition to the proposal currently submitted, he and his group of investors hope to develop the 900-acre site they own south of Winslow. The proposed prison would use only 68 acres. He pointed out that the conditional use permit allows for up to 11,500 beds.
“These deals always take time, but I’m convinced we’ll be able to develop all the additional beds,” he said. “One thousand beds is about 215 jobs, and if we can get more, we can staff more. I believe we can staff 4,000 to 6,000 beds over the next 10 to 15 years. And there will also be space for support uses (that supply the prison).”
According to Holbrook, he chose to work with La Salle Corrections on the proposal because he believes it is a solid and reliable company.
“They are a unique private company,” he said. “They have 11 facilities, and they own some of them. A couple of the others (corrections companies) are just management companies that don’t have that kind of investment.”
According to Holbrook, La Salle places heavy emphasis on treatment and transition programs.
“Their philosophy is oriented toward transitioning an inmate successfully back into society,” he said. “They’ve had tremendous results with their recidivism rate.”
Patton noted that the city has also looked into La Salle and believes that it is a reliable company.
“The city has already done a lot of investigation, and we believe it’s an excellent corporation and has a great track record in the corrections industry,” he said.
La Salle has been in business since 1997, and has facilities in Louisiana and Texas.
Holbrook noted that if a contract is awarded to the firm, this would be La Salle’s first facility in Arizona. No timeline is set for the award, according to Holbrook, but he believes the process will not be dragged out.
“There’s not necessarily a timeline, but the expected date they want the beds open really means it’s got to be on a fast track,” he said.
He also noted that the state could award all 5,000 beds to a single company, or could divide them up among several. Under the guidelines, there can be no more than 1,000 beds in a single facility, even if they are all awarded to the same company.
