Diamondback: Build Something Sustainable and Liberating, instead.

Opinion

March 13, 2010

Enid News and Eagle

THUMBS DOWN

The closing of a business and the resulting loss of jobs is never good news, but when it affects more than 300 people, that is serious.

Diamondback Correctional Facility in Watonga will shut its doors within the next 60 days. The private prison’s more than 300 employees will either be out of work or will try to transfer to other Corrections Corporation of America facilities in other cities.

Either way, the closing will be a real blow to Watonga’s economy.

CCA says it is closing the prison because all of the inmates at Diamondback are from Arizona, and facilities will soon become available there to house the inmates.

CCA is trying to sell the 2,160-bed facility. We hope they are successful.

Thumbs down to the sad news of the prison’s closing and the resulting loss of revenue for Watonga.