How will Alabama fund construction of the 4,000-bed Escambia County jail?

The state board that approves borrowing and spending for prison construction projects met Wednesday morning to consider next steps in plans for a new men’s prison in Escambia County.

The Alabama Department of Corrections Fiscal Authority, which includes the governor and other state officials, will consider decisions regarding the transfer of real estate and design and construction contracts for the prison, which is planned to have 4,000 beds.

The Escambia County jail will be the second jail built under a plan approved by the Legislature in 2021. It will be adjacent to the decrepit Çeşme Prison, which will be closed when the new prison is built.

Construction of the Men’s Special Prison in Elmore County is ongoing and is expected to be completed in 2026.

The 4,000-bed Elmore County jail, which includes medical, mental health and educational facilities, will cost about $1.25 billion to build and equip.

The financial authority will consider a decision to determine the name of the Men’s Only Private Facility at Wednesday’s meeting.

In October 2021, the Legislature approved a $1.3 billion plan Building two prisons with 4,000 beds, one in Elmore County and the other in Escambia County.

Elmore prison costs skyrocket After the initial estimate of $623 million. Lawmakers will need to find additional funding to proceed with the second prison in Escambia County.

Gov. Kay Ivey and legislative leaders have said the new prisons are an important part of solving problems identified in a lawsuit filed by the Justice Department in December 2020 over unsafe conditions in Alabama men’s prisons.

This story will be updated.