UPDATE: Task Force Drops Lincoln Co. and Cuts Price Tag on State Prison

The Project Prison Reset task force appointed by South Dakota Governor Larry Rhoden made some bold moves yesterday. In what many were saying was a return to South Dakota common sense, the committee changed the list of possible prison sites and chopped the price tag on construction.

On Sunday, 13 cities or properties (including Big Stone City) were vying to be the location of the new 1500-bed men’s state prison with a price tag of $825 million and talk of costs mushrooming to $2 billion. 

On Monday, a report prepared by consultants Arrington Watkins of Arizona recommended reverting to the original Lincoln County site or choosing from five other locations. (Big Stone City was eliminated from the new list.)  

On Tuesday, the task force reviewed the report during a day-long meeting in Pierre attended by government officials,  representatives of companies involved in the construction phase of the project, and the public.  The task force conducted a voice vote and decided to discontinue concentrating on the Lincoln County project already underway. They also unanimously voted (22-0) to endorse a proposal to pursue a new facility on either the Mitchell or Worthing sites. Mitchell and Worthing were named on the final list of six sites recommended by the consultants, but the task force went off script and decided to also consider any property already owned by the South Dakota Department of Corrections. In particular, they plan to look into expanding on land next to the current state prison in Sioux Falls, enlarging the Mike Durfee Prison in Springfield, or a combination of options.

In a major move, a motion was made and approved by the task force to cap costs for the construction of the new prison at $600 million. South Dakota has spent years setting aside money for the project and has allocated $569 million. Approximately $60 million was spent in the design, preparation, and other costs associated with the failed site in Lincoln County. 

The task force is on track to present their recommendations to the South Dakota Legislature during a special session reserved for voting on this issue on July 22.