Arizona officials decide to send inmates to Watonga prison

<br>WATONGA, Okla. (AP) _ Arizona inmates will be headed for an Oklahoma prison, but not the one in the western Oklahoma town of Sayre. <br><br>Arizona Department of Corrections officials have agreed verbally

Tuesday, February 24th 2004, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

WATONGA, Okla. (AP) _ Arizona inmates will be headed for an Oklahoma prison, but not the one in the western Oklahoma town of Sayre.

Arizona Department of Corrections officials have agreed verbally on a one-year contract to send 1,200 inmates to the Diamondback Correctional Facility in Watonga, Corrections Corporation of America spokesman Steve Owen said Monday.

The agreement could mean an additional 80 to 90 jobs for the Blaine County town of about 3,400, located about 70 miles northwest of Oklahoma City.

Arizona officials visited Diamondback and North Fork Correctional Facility in Sayre, which closed Aug. 11, a number of times before reaching a decision.

The Nashville-based corporation transferred all of its 989 inmates from Sayre to its Watonga facility last August.

``Certainly, we're frustrated'' Sayre City Manager Jack McKennon said Monday. ``We were all pumped up about getting some inmates back in here and getting the prison back up and going as soon as possible.''

The decision was ultimately Arizona's, Owen said.

``We have all along, and continue to aggressively market that (Sayre) facility,'' Owen said. ``We're doing this on a daily basis, and the goal is to definitely refill that facility.''