Update: Huge Prison Headed For Southwest Broward

BY BUDDY NEVINS

Western Pembroke Pines residents recently beat back a waste transfer station. Now can they stop a prison with up to 1,800 beds?

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has tentatively chosen Southwest Ranches for a detention center with up to 1,800 beds, one of the country’s largest.

A final decision will come later this year.

The facility would be built on more than 50 acres that Corrections Corporation of America owns.

The Nashville-based private corrections company has owned the land since the late 1990s. It is approved for a detention facility and has the support of Southwest Ranches, which needs the tax revenue.

The land is on the border of Pembroke Pines, less than a mile west of Southwest 196 Avenue between Stirling Road and Sheraton Street

And its thisclose to the same homeowners from communities like Laguna Isles that complained about the proposed waste transfer station.

Every bus filled with inmates, truck stuffed with supplies and car containing employees will pass through western Pembroke Pines. The land also gets its water and sewer service from Pembroke Pines, which gives that city some clout.

“We’re going to have to be paid to agree to anything,” said one Pembroke Pines commissioner.

Residents may not know it, but western Pembroke Pines already has a big state corrections facility. The 753-bed female prison off U. S. 27 houses close, medium and minimum security women from ages 14 through adult.

The new facility would be twice its size.

To give you an idea of the impact:

Florida’s most famous prison is Raiford, the super maximum security facility filled with murderers. Its walls have contained baddies like serial killer Ted Bundy and Ottis Toole, the suspected killer of Adam Walsh.

That Northeast Florida pen has 1,460 beds,  fewer than CCA can build without any approvals in Southwest Broward.

CCA had a deal with Southwest Ranches in 2005 to pay the town $1 million-a-year to build a corrections facility. Nothing was built. The Nashville-based firm couldn’t get a deal done with a local, state of federal agency to house any prisoners.

A CCA spokesman did not return an e-mail or phone call for comment.

Something will be built on that land. Pembroke Pines better get used to it. They only thing the city can do is try for the best deal with CCA.



15 Responses to “Update: Huge Prison Headed For Southwest Broward”

  1. Frank White says:

    Hilarious. Instead of garbage they get illegal immigrants.

  2. Barack Obama says:

    instead of a war on poverty, they got a war on drugs so the police can bother me

  3. Not Pines says:

    The prison is a SW Ranches deal to be built on land on land the town owns not in Pembroke Pines. The town has been planning to build it for years. It can only be gotten to from an entrance off Sheridan Street more than a half mile away from the back of Laguna Isles and another quarter mile north. There is revenue for SW Ranches from having that prison.

  4. Its a Miracle says:

    If I were SW Ranches, I would tell Pembroke Pines that it is none of your business. Too bad, so sad, now go pound sand.

  5. Stone Cold's Bottom Line says:

    To “Frank White” and “Barcak Obama”:

    Offer intelligent comments or go do other things. Stupid racist comments and mindless drivel re. drug wars is not appreciated by the fine reader and partakers of this blog.

    If you want, you can hang with Stone Cold and I’ll drill some sense into ya’…that is the bottom line ‘cuz I decree it! Both of y’all need some guidance and mentoring!

  6. Rupert says:

    A great opportunity for judges to earn additional income filling it up. Private prisons generally get paid by how many of those beds are filled.

  7. Patriot says:

    TO: NOt PInes: Did you read this?
    Every bus filled with inmates, truck stuffed with supplies and car containing employees will pass through western Pembroke Pines. **The land also gets its water and sewer service from Pembroke Pines, which gives that city some clout.**
    But, as one clever commissioner states: ““We’re going to have to be paid to agree to anything,” said one Pembroke Pines commissioner.
    DUH

    FROM BUDDY:

    Pines can not arbitrarily deny utility services to the CCA parcel, according to one lawyer.

  8. Frank White says:

    How about this. As a voter in Broward County I feel that both the garbage facility and the jail should be built. In most cases, the land was designated for that use prior to or around the same time of the development of most of those western communities. I usually have little sympathy for people who essentially fail to do their homework and want the government to bail them out.

    Also, I wonder if the county ever thought about operating a competing jail with the sheriff. Not sure how the details would work, but perhaps the western municipalities could be given a cheaper choice and it could be a pilot for them running the jail.

  9. Frank White says:

    Also “Barcak Obama” was quoting 2pac

  10. Justin Time says:

    Broward county cannot afford to house more inmates and if the state is willing to pay a private firm it’s a win/win for the town of SW Ranches and the County. Jobs will come from it and revenue for the town. As far as being a problem for residents, nobody notices or even realizes that there is a woman’s prison already out there. CCA should go for it. Good for Rick Scott!

  11. Godfather Lines says:

    “…I want to congratulate you on your new business, I’m sure you’ll do very well and good luck to you. Especially since your interests don’t conflict with mine. Thank you.”

  12. KC says:

    Wait until the parents of West Broward High School find out about this. It won’t be just the local communities in an uproar. Anybody whose kid goes to that school will be having a fit.

  13. Miguel says:

    Sorry to the person that mentioned PP shouldnt be in the mix. SW needs PP for water services and fire services (which per PP mayor) they already have agree upon. All of this was done behind close doors and only recently has the people of both communities have started to listen to what is proposed. I wouldnt be surprise if the leaders of both communities got money under the table

  14. V L Calehuff says:

    Unfortunately, the root of all of this is money and greed. When will our governmental authorities work to represent people. The authorities think prisons and casinos will bring more jobs when in actually all they do is attract more crime. Ask these leaders if they want a prison built near their schools and homes.

    We know people in small towns in New Jersey who are suffering the consequences of having a prison built in their communities–more crime and drugs!

    It is sad at this difficult time in our nation’s history that are communities are not important to our leadership.

    Why are they not more concerned with promoting the existing education system with skilled teachers and programs. Use this money to hire more teachers so we can educate our students to become outstanding governmental leaders–not for building a 1700+ bed prison near existing A+ schools.

    It seems, again, that the average American’s voice does not matter. Where is the democracy?

  15. Incredulous says:

    What do you mean do our homework? Prior to this year, the last time SWR took ANY action on this was via a resolution in 2007. It CLEARLY stated that a one year extension to build would be given.

    Then, low and behold, 3 years later, the liars pass a resolution on January 6th to DOUBLE the number of beds and double the square footage of the prison buildings.

    You are all liars who are saying that we should have done something about this.

    We got engaged when the town resurrected it from the dead on 1/6/2011. Democracy… get used to it…