Prison falls through as feds cancel project
By TAMMY J. SCHOLL/Staff Writer
BARSTOW � The city�s hopes for creating some 250 new jobs by
bringing a minimum-security prison to Lenwood were dashed in the
wake of the federal government�s decision to scrap the entire project.
The Federal Bureau of Prisons announced Friday it canceled plans to
hire a private correctional company to build and run minimum-security
federal prisons in Arizona or California.
Traci Billingsley, spokeswoman for the Federal Bureau of Prisons, said
its latest projections show a decline in its population growth rate. So,
after crunching the numbers, the bureau realized there was no need
for the 4,500 new beds this project called for.
�This is the most prudent use of taxpayer dollars,� Billingsley said.
She said the decision has �absolutely nothing� to do with California�s
recent decision to stop contracting with private prison companies.
City officials were disheartened by the news.
�We are disappointed but there is nothing we can do,� said Councilman
Paul Luellig. � It�s a decision based on needs and they are saying the
need no longer exists.�
City officials were looking to this project to give Barstow�s economy a
shot in the arm.
�It would have created jobs that would pay a substantial wage with
benefits,� Mayor Lawrence Dale said. � It is a substantial loss.�
Two companies submitted bids to open a facility in Lenwood. About 20
sites were being considered by the bureau, with a decision expected
in the fall.
Executives with Wackenhut and Cornell Corrections companies
predicted the prison would create 250 to 300 new jobs, with first
preference given to local workers.
Cornell's proposed site would have occupied about 79 acres on the
west side of Lenwood Road between Jasper and Agate roads, while
Wackenhut's covered about 64 acres in the same location.
Billingsley said it is �not common� for the bureau to cancel a project
just months before it is slated to award a contract.
The bureau�s action bears a striking resemblance to a state decision
to cancel a prison project in December 1999. Just three months before
it was slated to award a contract, the California Department of
Corrections decided it did not need four 550-bed medium-security
prisons for which it had accepted bid proposals. Three different
companies were bidding to build a prison in the Lenwood area.
At that time, the department said in the state�s �best interest to
cancel this biding process because of the changes in projected and
actual inmate populations.�