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Investors pitch private retrofit of vacant Land O' Lakes building as leased county jail
Summary
A private developer proposed converting the vacant Land O'Lakes building in Fort Dodge into a county jail financed by private investment and leased to Webster County; presenters estimated retrofit costs in the low tens of millions and proposed a lease structure that they said could be largely revenue‑neutral to taxpayers, while supervisors asked for engineering, law‑enforcement buy‑in and legal review.
Private developers pitched a privately financed redevelopment plan Sept. 23 to convert the vacant Land O’Lakes building at 2827 8th Avenue South into a county jail that Webster County would lease under a triple‑net arrangement.
Matt Johnson and Scott Underberg, who described the project as part of a broader downtown redevelopment effort, said retrofitting the two‑story, roughly 25,000‑square‑foot building could provide flexible classification space, an on‑site kitchen, booking and visitation areas and room for future expansion. Underberg, who said he has corrections experience, described using American Corrections Association (ACA) guidelines for layout and security.
The presenters provided…
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