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Governor Signs Resolution Moving Prison to West Salt Lake City

Bryan William Jones | http://prometheus.med.utah.edu/~bwjones/
Utah State Prison

Utah Governor Gary Herbert has signed the resolution calling for the state prison to be moved from its current location in Draper to a new site on the west side of Salt Lake City.

A day after the legislature approved the resolution in a special session, Governor Gary Herbert signed it, making the prison relocation official. During his monthly press conference on KUED, Herbert said that he understands that Salt Lake City leaders aren’t happy with the decision, but that he hopes to be able to work with them through the next steps of the process.

“I would hope that in the spirit of cooperation we can come together with the leaders of Salt Lake City and say that this is a remote location which probably has no anticipated development for many nears into the future that maybe this can be the catalyst to open up industrial development, putting utilities in there, warehouse development, other opportunities that may come," said Herbert.

“There’s a reason that site hasn’t been developed for 150 years," said Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker." I’ll put it that way.”

He said their research shows that developing that area will be costly and difficult because of complicated geological and environmental factors. He also said now that the decision is final, city officials can further explore what, if any, legal options they have to fight the move.

“We’re still going to look for ways that we can keep that site from being developed for a prison," he said. "I can’t tell you, because I don’t know, what course of action we may pursue.”

Herbert said he knows the site isn’t perfect, but that it is the best site for the city and the state. Design of the new prison will begin soon. 

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