Utah State Prison plans getting pushed back as officials continue to consider site options

A final decision on where to relocate the Utah State Prison is being pushed back as officials continue to sort out technical details.

The Legislature's Prison Relocation Commission was scheduled to choose between proposed sites in Salt Lake, Utah and Tooele counties by Aug. 1. At the commission's next meeting on July 16, the deadline is expected to be postponed by at least 30 days.

"It's more important to me to make a thoughtful and thorough decision rather than a quick one," the commission's co-chairman, House Majority Assistant Whip Brad Wilson, R-Kaysville, said Wednesday.

The sites being considered include land west of Salt Lake City International Airport, south of Eagle Mountain, near the town of Fairfield and behind the Wal-Mart Distribution Center in Grantsville.

The prison, which is currently located in Draper, has seen a great deal of community opposition in each of the proposed sites. Mayors and city council members have fought to keep it out of their area.

Wilson said the only action at the commission's next meeting will be a decision to extend the deadline either by 30 or 60 days to give members more time to review a report that consists of topography, geography, infrastructure and other features of the four proposed sites.

Consultant Bob Nardi, who is leading the review, said the report is "still a work in progress." He said nothing has been found so far that "completely eliminates" any of the possible locations for the $550 million, 4,000-bed prison.

As for how long it will take the commission members to reach a conclusion, Nardi said, "that'll be up to them."