By Alabama Public Radio
Uniontown, AL – Perry County officials celebrated a groundbreaking this week for a private prison. The Perry County Detention and Rehabilitation Center should be complete in 14 months. The 20 million dollar project will house 888 inmates and is expected to provide 136 jobs. Perry County is financing the project. Commissioner Johnny Flowers says the commission entered into an agreement with a private firm to build and manage the prison. He says the state will be able to house inmates in the prison, but it would have to pay a per diem rate for each inmate. State prison system spokesman Brian Corbett says the Department of Corrections is aware of the project but is not negotiating a contract right now.