CANTON, S.D. (KELO) — $825 million is the price tag on a new men’s prison that would sit between Canton and Harrisburg. It would replace the state prison in Sioux Falls.
On Tuesday morning, South Dakota Department of Corrections officials said the proposed facility would improve safety and resolve overcapacity problems.
“If you looked at land within 20 miles of Lincoln or Minnehaha County, the infrastructure there is actually better than a lot of other locations in rural areas,” South Dakota Senior Policy Advisor Ryan Brunner said.
DOC Secretary Kellie Wasko said the new facility would be similar to a “campus layout” and will be designed to better rehabilitate inmates. It would also have increased security.
“The control centers in these units, which will be manned 24 hours a day, each unit will have one manned 24 hours a day, can see all three units and all movement in and out the front door at times,” Wasko said. “The reason that I say this is because it’s much safer for our staff. There’s no blind spots.”
The state said the project won’t cost Lincoln County any money; however, finding a different 160-acre location would create an additional $100 million expense.
DOC officials said the existing state prison is not suitable to become a multi-story prison.
“If we move it out into an industrial area, there’s opposition. We move it out into the country, there’s opposition. We keep it in the city 88 paces from somebody’s front door, there’s opposition,” Wasko said.
Even after hearing from the state, some homeowners still feel uneasy.
“I really am upset with the state for the way they’ve come in,” one Lincoln County resident said.
“We’re going to build this billion-dollar monstrosity and there’s so many questions that are unanswered,” another homeowner said.
Tuesday was the first time the Department of Corrections appeared at a Lincoln County Commissioners meeting since the location was announced in 2023.
The $825 million cost does not include the South Dakota DOT’s plan for road improvements. The DOT met Monday night and discussed the need for these changes even if the prison is not built.
