Herbert wants to keep looking at prison relocation possibilities

This Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2013 photo shows the Utah State Prison in Draper, Utah. Utah lawmakers are advancing a plan to relocate the state prison in southwest Salt Lake County. The Utah State Prison occupies about 700 acres in Draper where tech companies such as eBay and Microsoft have opened offices. Gov. Gary Herbert has called on lawmakers to fund the relocation so the corridor can develop as a technology hub. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)

The issue of relocating the Utah State Prison is an issue that still needs to be looked at according to Utah Governor Gary Herbert. During his monthly Let Me Speak to the Governor radio broadcast last week, Herbert said the need is not just for a different location but rather the existing prison is out of date.

“We have a need to rebuild a prison,” explained Herbert. “We can either remodel and have some limitations on that in the existing site and location, or build a new place on site which will still cost us $350 million.

“Or, if we are going to do it anyway, is there a better site to locate the prison? The benefit of that is that it frees up some of the most valuable pieces of real estate which would help our economy.”

The governor said legislators are doing the right thing by making the issue a deliberative process and seeking public input.

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