HEARING ON ILLINOIS PRISON SITES TONIGHT AT METROPOLIS

METROPOLIS, Ill. -- Illinois Department of Corrections officials start final site-selection hearings tonight to determine site for two new prisons: an 1,800-bed medium-security adult prison and a 400-bed medium-security juvenile institution.

Tonight's hearing will be held at the Merv Griffin Theater in Metropolis at 7 p.m.

Metropolis is one of seven communities vying for the adult prison.

"Being selected among the finalists is a wonderful thing," said Metropolis Mayor Beth Clanahan.

Clanahan said only positive comments were being heard about the Metropolis site, which includes 203 acres of land just off Interstate 24 near the I-24-Highway 45 intersection.

Meanwhile, Harrisburg city officials announced Wednesday that it has dropped out of competition for the juvenile facility. That narrows the field for it to five.

Hartzel Black, who helped organize the southeastern Illinois town's efforts, said the land officials had designated for a prison is no longer available. Peabody Coal Co., which owns the land, now has other uses for the site, Black said. He said the company was working with city officials to find other sites for future prison projects.

"Right now it's discouraging, but I'm encouraged that Peabody is working with us," Black said.

The Department of Corrections had chosen Harrisburg as a finalist for the medium-security juvenile center.

Corrections officials have canceled a public hearing planned for Friday at Harrisburg.

Nineteen communities originally submitted proposals for the projects. The sites were narrowed to seven for the adult prison last week and to six for the juvenile facility.

Corrections department spokesman Nic Howell said Harrisburg's decision will not affect hearings scheduled through next week in the other communities.

The public hearing at Metropolis is the first of a number of hearings that will be completed July 17 with the hearing at Savanna. In between, hearings will be held at Grayville, Lawrence County, Carlinville, Schuyler County and Kewanee.

The medium-security prison will cost about $72 million to build. It will employ 450 full-time employees. The juvenile facility will cost about $45 million to build and will employ 280 full-time employees.