A new federal prison to be built just across the Wyoming County border, in McDowell County’s industrial park, has received the final $189 million necessary for construction, according to officials.

The total project cost is estimated at more than $232 million.

Early last year, federal funding for the new 1,280-bed facility was removed from the budget by President George W. Bush; however, the funding was restored through the efforts of U. S. Sen. Robert Byrd, U. S. Sen. Jay Rockefeller, and U. S. Rep. Nick Rahall, all D-W. Va.

The 1,280 beds will include 1,152 at the medium-security facility and 128 at the adjacent work camp.

Nearly 350 jobs are expected to be created when the prison opens; 60 percent of those will go to local people.

Overall, the annual economic benefit for McDowell and Wyoming counties is estimated at approximately $35 million.

Final construction funding for the federal prison is on the way, clearing the way for work to continue on the new facility, Byrd announced Monday.

"The waiting is finally over," Byrd said. "With these construction dollars, no longer is it a question of if the McDowell County federal prison will be built; now it is a question of when it will be open."

"I’m exhilarated, of course," said Del. Richard Browning, D-Wyoming, one of those working to bring the prison to the area.

"It’s been a long process, a lot of hard work, a lot of cooperation, a lot of sweat by a lot of local people," Browning said.

"My hat’s off to Sens. Byrd and Rockefeller and Congressman Rahall. I want to thank them for listening to us and coming to our aid," Browning emphasized.

"This prison will be a dynamic economic development tool for southern West Virginia, as it has already started generating growth in McDowell County," Rockefeller said. "Sen. Byrd, Congressman Rahall, and I continue to work toward the day when this prison opens its doors. And with these crucial dollars now secure, we are one enormous step closer to seeing our vision become reality."
"We’re all singing from the Robert C. Byrd Choir, and, today, we say, ‘Amen!’ When Sen. Byrd sets his sights, great things can happen," Rahall said. "He has worked tirelessly to reinvigorate the economy of southern West Virginia and especially McDowell County. The fruits of his labors are now being harvested and will return tenfold to our regional economy."

"This project means hundreds of new jobs for southern West Virginia," Byrd emphasized. "It means new investments in the infrastructure. It means better opportunities for the future. This is a very good day for southern West Virginia."

During the past year, Byrd led a bipartisan coalition of senators from several states to prevent a proposed elimination of BOP construction funding, including millions of dollars already approved for the McDowell County facility. Now, with the release of the final construction funding, that bipartisan effort has paid off for southern West Virginia.

The new prison will be located near the border of McDowell and Wyoming counties, and very close to the proposed interchange of the King Coal Highway and the Coalfields Expressway.

On at least four separate occasions between March 1997 and June 1998, at Byrd’s direction, BOP officials visited McDowell County looking for a site for a federal prison. Subsequently, with Byrd’s encouragement, BOP officials conducted additional visits to the Indian Ridge Industrial Park and met with local officials regarding criteria for a prison site.

To help move the site forward, Byrd added $5 million to legislation in 1999 for a water/sewer line extension at the Indian Ridge site.

He also included $1.25 million in legislation in 2004 for infrastructure and site development at the Indian Ridge Industrial Park.

In June, the U. S. Bureau of Prisons awarded a design contract to Clark Design/Build LLC of Bethesda, Md., for $7.3 million for the new prison. The company will also build the facility.

In July, the McDowell County Commission transferred 400 acres in the Indian Ridge Industrial Park, just across the Wyoming County border, to the U. S. Bureau of Prisons.

In September, the construction trailer was moved on site.