Utah is being ripped off by the Texas developers. The only ones in favor of moving the state prison are the out-of-state real estate developers from Texas. Local Draper residents are OK with the prison. The area has thrived in spite of the prison.
The media hypes that there isn't enough room at the Draper site to construct a new prison — 700 acres is a whale of a lot of room. It seems to be big enough to construct new shopping malls, skyscraper office buildings, multiple level apartment buildings as well as several residential subdivisions, convention centers, soccer playing fields, etc. A new prison would not take up all that room.
Then we get the hype that it would take the state over a billion dollars to move the prison. It would not cost the state anything to stay where it is.
Utah residents should stand up to the “big money” Texas developers and send them packing. We are intelligent enough to develop, manage and maintain our own public facilities.
Halvor Olsen
West Bountiful