By Craig Harris
AzCentral
PHOENIX — The Arizona Department of Corrections awarded a private-prison contract on Wednesday to Tennessee-based Corrections Corporation of America, the only bidder for the 20-year deal.
The state has agreed to a 90 percent occupancy rate for CCA, which will house up to 1,000 additional medium-security prisoners at its Red Rock facility in Eloy.
The contract is expected to guarantee CCA an operating profit by paying the company $66.35 a day per inmate. That translates to at least $21.8 million annually, with the 90 percent occupancy promise. Inmates will start filling the new beds Sept. 1, according to the state.
Full Story: Arizona awards 20-year private-prison contract to only bidder