Arizona to sell prison in Marana for $15 million

TUCSON, Ariz. (13 News) - Arizona has agreed to sell the former state prison in Marana to the private company that once ran it.

The Arizona Department of Administration confirmed to 13 News on Tuesday that it will sell the facility to Management & Training Corporation for $15 million.

“The Arizona Department of Administration entered escrow on April 30 to sell the Marana facility to MTC,” the state said in an email to 13 News. “Escrow is expected to close within 30 days.”

In November 2023, the state announced it was closing the prison that was built nearly three decades before. The state said it did it to save money, about $15 million over two years.

While the minimum security facility was built for 500 inmates, it housed only around 225 over the last few years of operation.

The inmates were transferred to various prisons around the state, including the state complex on Wilmot in Tucson.

The facility was the state’s first private prison when it was built in 1994, and MTC operated it when it was closed.

13 News has reached out to the company and town of Marana about the future of the facility.

The company sent 13 News the following statement:

“Management & Training Corporation (MTC) does intend to purchase the facility which will be used for detention purposes. At this stage, the purchase of the facility is still in progress, and we have not finalized the details regarding its use. It is too early to discuss specific customers or housing arrangements for the facility.”

Nearly 100 people worked at the facility when it was closed.

There was some hope that the facility could be used by ICE to house immigrants.

Earlier this year, Sen. John Kavanagh proposed a bill that would require the ADA to lease the prison to the U.S. government for $1 per year. But that bill failed in the House earlier this month.

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