The Arkansas Board of Corrections has approved $57 million dollars to design a new state prison to be located near Charleston in Franklin County. The proposed 3,000 bed prison has drawn the ire of those living in the area and even charges from a Native American tribe that the site is sacred land. The new contract is a “pay as you go” format, meaning the state will only be on the hook for money allocated and spent if the project is paused or changed in the future. The proposed contract will now head to the state legislature for final approval.
