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Arkansas Prison Board Seeks Proposals For New Prison

The Arkansas Board of Corrections is asking for proposals from communities interested in hosting a new, 1,000-bed state prison.

The board on Friday voted to accept requests for the next 90 days in hopes of firming up a plan before next January's legislative session. Prison officials told lawmakers last week that it will cost up to $100 million to build the new facility.

The board's prison design committee is recommending a maximum-security facility, which will be more expensive to build than a lower-security unit. The committee is recommending the new prison house the most difficult inmates in the state, with extra space set aside for 200 single-cell isolation units. 

The board says it's looking for a site with at least 400 acres, along with proximity to an airport and higher-educational institutions.

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