CHARLESTON, Ark. – The Arkansas Board of Corrections voted Friday to approve a prison in Charleston, and their final decision is unsettling to many who live there like Dalton Moore.
“I’m not happy with it,” Moore said. “I think it’s definitely going to cause the property values to decrease when they do get it built, and it’s going to make Charleston less appealing.”
New prison coming to Charleston pushing residents to speak out
State leaders said the 3,000-bed facility will bring an economic boost to the area, but Moore said it should have been the city’s choice to make, not the state government.
“Our government here in Arkansas should have been more transparent with the community and let them know that it was a decision to be made,” Moore said.
Arkansas Board of Corrections votes on land to build prison in Charleston
Safety and aesthetics were also a big concern especially for people who live by the prison site near Mill Creek Mountain.
Despite the news, resident Travis Slaughter said he is choosing to stay optimistic.
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“It’s going to be four to five years down the road before the prison is built, so a lot of things can happen,” Slaughter said.
He said he bought his property in Charleston four years ago and plans to stay hoping others in the city also remain resilient.
“Let’s just let them run and see what they can do and then we carry the ball and try to do everything we can to stop it,” Slaughter said.