Gov. Cox Cuts the Ribbon for the New Utah State Correctional Facility
SALT LAKE CITY (June 22, 2022) — Gov. Spencer Cox and other stakeholders participated in a ribbon cutting ceremony today for the new Utah State Correctional Facility (USCF) marking its substantial completion.
“Today is truly a landmark day for the Department of Corrections and the state of Utah as we celebrate the largest construction project in Utah history,” Gov Cox said. “This facility will provide a safe and secure environment conducive to recovery and rehabilitation for up to 3,600 inmates. It will also give our Corrections employees the space they need to do their difficult jobs. We applaud the hard work of so many who made this achievement possible.”
Comprised of 35 buildings and 1.35 million square feet of operational space, the facility sits on approximately 172 acres of land approximately five miles west of the airport. The total cost of the facility, including infrastructure, is approximately $1,050,000,000.
“DFCM is proud to have completed the largest construction project in the state’s history,” said Jim Russell, director of the Division of Facilities and Construction Management. “Our team, together with our partners, did a masterful job overcoming insurmountable challenges to complete this world class, state-of-the-art facility that will serve the state of Utah for the next 100 years. We firmly believe that by all measures, this project has been a complete success.”
The driving factors in determining the concepts for design for the USCF were direct supervision, increased daylight for both incarcerated individuals and staff, uncompromised security and safety for both, and normalization of life for incarcerated individuals to aid them in re-entering society.
“Our mission as a Department is to improve the lives of both our staff and the incarcerated,” said Brian Nielson, executive director for the Utah Department of Corrections. “The Utah State Correctional Facility enhances our ability to accomplish our mission in helping offenders successfully exit the criminal justice system.”
The USCF will be occupied by the end of this summer. Over the past few years, UDC has spent significant hours planning and training for the move to ensure a safe and secure opening of the new facility. Actual move dates will not be shared publicly to ensure the safety and security of the general public, UDC employees, and the incarcerated. UDC will share a formal press release, along with photos and b-roll when the move is completed.
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