Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, January 20, 1995 TAG: 9501200107
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: A-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: PAUL DELLINGER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: WYTHEVILLE LENGTH: Medium
Corrections Corp. of America, based in Nashville, Tenn., secured an option on a 533-acre farm two miles east of Wytheville last month for the proposed 1,500-bed prison. That announcement Dec. 8 sparked a countywide debate.
CCA President David Myers said Thursday that the company now has decided to build, and will break ground by spring. Construction should take 12 to 14 months, he said.
``Based upon the overwhelming number of employment inquiries we have received, Wythe and surrounding counties have more than a qualified and interested work force. Plus, the positive support from our discussions with numerous business and civic leaders and other officials has convinced us that it is appropriate to make this announcement,'' he said.
Bill Smith, a Wytheville businessman who is against the prison, said he sees the timing as an attempt to head off an advisory referendum for which petitions are being circulated in the county.
``It appears that it's just another marketing tactic to attempt to run roughshod over the county,'' Smith said in a downtown office rented by the hastily formed Citizens Against the Prison.
``We've had dozens of calls about it,'' Smith said of Myers' announcement. ``There were 20 people in here earlier. ... They have reinforced their commitment to fight somebody that's trying to push their way in with something that's less than desirable for this community, and they're more determined than ever to press for this referendum.''
Del. Thomas Jackson, D-Hillsville, agreed to introduce legislation setting an advisory referendum on the prison if he got signatures of at least 1,200 registered voters on petitions requesting it.
``We feel we'll have enough petitions by tomorrow to present to Jackson,'' Danny Shultz said Thursday. ``We were upset that our Board of Supervisors didn't ask for the referendum.''
``I think the bottom line is so many people feel we are not being heard,'' said Martha Umberger.
The referendum would have no legal effect on CCA's decision because the county has no zoning regulations that could stop the project.
Construction of the prison will cost about $40 million. It will offer from 250 to 300 jobs and have an annual payroll of about $8 million, CCA representatives have said. It will also include a section to hold Wythe County prisoners, so the county will not have to spend an estimated $4 million to replace its aging jail.
CCA has no contract with the state Department of Corrections, but Myers said he was confident that one would be worked out. ``We feel it's a bluff. There's still no management contract and we're going to hold the governor to his promise,'' Shultz said, referring to a statement by Gov. George Allen that no prison would be forced on a community that did not want it.
``Our experience has been that, the day you tell 'em it's open and ready to accept prisoners, they normally will start the chain that day,'' Myers said.
He said employees will be hired and trained while the prison is being built, so they will be ready to go to work when it is complete. He said the number of employees at the start would depend on how quickly the Department of Corrections wanted to start shipping prisoners.
Myers said CCA will exercise its option to buy the land and start construction soon. ``It could be as soon as within 30 days,'' he said. ``We're going to build it as quickly as we can.''
CCA manages more than 14,000 prison beds in 27 facilities in eight states, Puerto Rico, Australia and England. It handles financing, design, construction and management as well as prisoner transportation.
This would be CCA's largest prison to date.
by CNB