MARANA, ARIZONA (May 8, 2025) —The state of Arizona has finalized the sale of a shuttered correctional facility at 12700 W Silverbell Road, Marana to Management and Training Corporation (MTC), a Utah-based private prison operator, for $15 million.
The 500-bed, minimum-security prison—located northwest of Tucson—was originally built and operated by MTC in the mid-1990s. The state purchased the facility in 2013 for just $150,000 as part of a contractual agreement, though MTC continued to operate it until its closure in late 2023. The facility was decommissioned as part of Governor Katie Hobbs’ initiative to reduce corrections spending, citing low utilization and high fixed costs. At the time of closure, Arizona was paying for nearly 475 contracted beds despite the inmate population averaging just 225.
The sale agreement was signed on April 30, 2025, and is expected to close within 30 days. MTC has indicated the site will again be used for detention purposes, though specific plans or timelines have not been disclosed. A previous proposal to lease the facility to the federal government for immigration detention failed to gain approval in the Arizona Legislature.
The Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation, and Reentry has stated that it was not involved in the sale and has no intention of housing state prisoners at the facility in the future.
The closure of the prison impacted approximately 100 employees and ended inmate labor programs that had previously supported various community initiatives in the Town of Marana. Local officials expressed frustration over the lack of consultation regarding the sale but are hopeful that MTC’s reacquisition will eventually restore jobs and community programs tied to the facility’s operation.