LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — The Arkansas Board of Corrections voted on Friday to approve the purchase of land for a new state prison despite an uproar from residents who opposed it.
According to Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders' administration, the prison will cost roughly $470 million and will be built on land in Franklin County purchased for $2.95 million.
On Thursday, Franklin County community members attended a town hall to voice their frustrations and concerns about the proposal.
Several members of the Arkansas Board of Corrections were also upset by how they found out about the new prison, with many saying they found out close to or on the day of the announcement.
Board members said they also discussed the issues raised at last night's meeting and asked the governor's office for help addressing them.
Someone from the governor's office responded, saying the administration understands the massive undertaking and is fully committed to this project.
After that, the board approved the land purchase and discussed next steps for the prison.
Sanders issued a statement after the board's approval:
"Thank you to Chairman Magness and the Board of Corrections for their vote for a safer, stronger Arkansas this morning," Sanders said. "We kicked this can down the road for far too long - it’s time to make the first investment in our prison system in two decades and finally address our failed system of catch-and-early-release of violent offenders. I am committed to working with community members throughout the prison construction process as we invest hundreds of millions of dollars in Franklin County and create hundreds of recession-proof, good-paying jobs."
The push to build a new prison in Arkansas started more than a year ago when Sanders called on the Board of Corrections to add more beds.
The request came from Sanders' early administration plan, the "Protect Arkansas Act," which enlisted three main things: a new prison, recruiting correction officers, and overtime for state troopers.
That eventually led to a back-and-forth, resulting in lawsuits and board members' dismissal last year.
The new Franklin County prison is predicted to bring nearly 800 new jobs and be state-run.