Minnesota to close Stillwater prison by 2029 as operational costs stack up
Minnesota's Stillwater correctional facility is set to close by 2029, as part of a budget agreement struck by the Legislature.
The facility houses 1,100 inmates and employs roughly 560 people, but the operational costs of the 111-year-old building have become "untenable," Gov. Tim Walz said.
"The deferred maintenance that needs to be done to keep Stillwater even operational is becoming unsustainable," Walz said while announcing the bipartisan budget agreement Thursday morning.
Over the years inmates and staff have criticized the conditions inside the site. In 2023, Stillwater went into lockdown after inmates protested water quality issues within the prison. More than 100 men refused to return to their cells, decrying the extreme heat conditions — as the prison has no air conditioning — and limited access to ice and showers.
State officials estimate that maintenance costs would hover around $180 million, and the cost of replacing the facility would be upwards of $1.3 billion. The four-year phased closure will result in annual state savings of $40 million.
The decision to close Stillwater will include no early releases. There will also be no changes to current incarceration sentences, as officials believe they have the capacity to house inmates in the existing system.
Thursday afternoon, Department of Corrections Commissioner Paul Schnell will hold a press conference to detail Stillwater's phased closure.
How to watch
What: Schnell, officials announce details of Stillwater Correctional Facility's closure
Schnell, officials announce details of Stillwater Correctional Facility's closure When: 1 p.m.
1 p.m. How to watch: You can watch live in the player above, on CBS News Minnesota app or on Pluto TV.
"This is a moment of real change for our agency," said Schnell. "We fully recognize the impact this decision will have on both the lives and careers of the Stillwater staff and on the incarcerated people for whom Stillwater has been home for years or even decades. We will be open and honest with staff and the incarcerated population throughout the implementation."
During the first phase of the closure, half of the inmates will be transferred to one of the other nine male facilities, and there will be staff reductions, though officials say they'll work to transfer staff to other positions if possible. During this time, the department will conduct a management study to guide the operations, as well as a decommissioning study to plan for the long-term future of the site.
Beginning in July of 2027, the department will start vacating the facility entirely. The full closure expected to be complete by June 30, 2029.
This story will be updated.
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