Last Updated on October 11, 2023, 1:26 PM | Published: October 11, 2023
OKLAHOMA CITY — Oklahoma County Commissioners voted to submit a proposal to purchase land for the new Oklahoma County Detention Center or Jail.
In the meeting Wednesday, Commissioners offered $2.5 million to the OKC Airport Trust for 51.41 acres of land north of the airport.
Earlier in the month, commissioners started with choosing the site to pursue further.
The land is within a larger area on the NW corner of the expansive Will Rogers World Airport property that also contains the FAA training facility and the Oklahoma Air National Guard base. It is bounded by Newcastle Road, SW 54th Street, MacArthur, and Meridian.
The Airport Trust administers the property for the City of Oklahoma City.
The Airport Trust originally offered the land as a site for the new Oklahoma County Jail once offers were called for by Commissioners.
Oklahoma County voters approved a $260 million bond to build a new county jail in June 2022.
Commissioner Carrie Blumert said in a prepared statement that she was “thankful for the Airport Trust’s submittal of the property and is hopeful the transaction can be concluded quickly.”
Blumert emphasized that “quick acquisition is critical to the county’s efforts to build a state-of-the-art mental and behavioral health facility” using federal ARPA funds.
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