ATLANTA — Fulton County has offered to purchase the City of Atlanta’s old detention center for more than $56 million.
The purchase would relieve pressure on the Fulton County jail renovations, according to county officials. The City of Atlanta is reviewing the offer.
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Channel 2’s Richard Elliot sat down with Fulton County Commission Chairman Robb Pitts to discuss why the purchase would be a solution for the county.
“It’s the perfect solution to a problem that we have. It’s a mutual problem that we have because the overwhelming majority of our detainees are in fact, residents of the city of Atlanta,” Pitts said.
The purchase would immediately relieve pressure on the county jail’s plans to renovate the Rice Street location. It has 1,800 beds. Pitts acknowledges there have been negotiations to buy the city’s detention center on and off for more than 20 years.
Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens’ office gave Channel 2 a statement acknowledging the offer.
“The city is please that after two years of conversations, Fulton has finally decided to respond with an offer. The city will respond in full in the near future.”
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