The Corrections Corporation of America, an operator of for-profit private prisons, will make a decision in the next two months concerning the possible investment of some $90 million to build a new, medium security prison facility to be located at the Four Lakes Industrial Park.

CCA, the Nashville based prison operator, has said it is considering building a facility on a 100 acre site near Hartsville. The Four Lakes property is located in both Smith and Trousdale counties and is also the site of the now-mothballed TVA Hartsville Nuclear Plant,... once touted as destined to be the “World's Largest.”

The Trousdale County Commissioners voted unanimously on Monday night, February 26 to support the possibility of Corrections Corporation of America's locating a private, 1,500 bed prison at the Four Lakes site.

“This is not a binding resolution,” said Carol Pruitt, chairperson of the county commission's Economic Development committee. “Both parties (the county and CCA) have simply agreed to look at the pros and cons and work together in developing the possibilities.”

Commissioner Johnny Kerr stated that if the people of Trousdale County were opposed to the prison, “we would know about it already,” citing the county's reputation for voicing opposition to new industrial proposals that it doesn't care for.

“My phone hasn't rung a single time,” said Kerr. The commissioner was quoted as making this statement by Hartsville Vidette managing editor Liz Ferrell in last week's Trousdale County newspaper.

Jerry Clift, Hartsville/Trousdale County Executive, said the commissioners have been told a CCA prison could bring about 350 jobs and $400,000 per year in tax revenue to the county. The development of a private prison in Trousdale County would be an economic boost to residents in nearby Smith and Macon Counties as well.

“It would be a good tax base for the county and provide jobs that we need,” said Cliff, who is chairman of the twenty member Trousdale/Hartsville legislative body. Trousdale County, Tennessee's smallest county, has a metro form of government.

The Nashville daily paper, The Tennessean, reported last week that CCA officials recently hosted a dinner for county commissioners and county business leaders at which time they answered questions, including from those concerned that the planned minimum-security prison might affect property values.

“The atmosphere at the meeting was very supportive,” reported Donna Arrington, program manager for Four Lakes Regional Industrial Development Authority. “There was no arguing or fussing,” said Ms. Arrington.

Four Lakes owns the land CCA is considering as site for the prison.

CCA is reported to be studying two sites in Mississippi, among other potential sites for a new prison, said Louise Grant, a spokesperson for CCA in Nashville. As stated earlier, CCA is expected to make a decision on the siteing of a new prison in the next 60 days.