Fulton County offers to buy Atlanta jail for $56 million
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Fulton County has offered to buy the Atlanta City Detention Center for $56.6 million. Photo: Kristal Dixon/Axios
Weeks after Mayor Andre Dickens offered to sell the Atlanta City Detention Center to Fulton County, its governing body has responded with a counteroffer that's considerably lower than his asking price.
Why it matters: Dickens, who withdrew the offer after Fulton commissioners voted against participating in the city's Neighborhood Reinvestment Initiative, needs the support of the county and Atlanta Board of Education to extend several tax allocation districts to fund the sweeping project.
The latest: Fulton commissioners wrote in a letter Tuesday that the county would purchase the city jail for $56.6 million, much lower than the $80 million Dickens asked for.
- Fulton County said its proposed price is based on a 2025 broker opinion of value issued by CBRE Group.
Zoom in: According to the county, its offer factors in about $75 million in renovations it would need to do at the Atlanta City Detention Center "given its age and the purpose for which the facility is needed."
What they're saying: Fulton County has offered to buy ACDC from Atlanta over the last 17 years, and commissioners said previous mayors have considered transferring the building to the county at no cost.
- "We agree that ACDC should be fully available for utilization by the County, but Atlanta has consistently resisted finalizing a deal to make that happen," the county commission wrote, adding that its offer expires at the end of the month.
- It also posits that transferring the facility to the county would save Atlanta roughly $27 million annually in maintenance and operations costs.
The other side: "The city is pleased that after two years of conversations, Fulton has finally decided to respond with an offer," a city of Atlanta spokesperson said. "The city will respond in full in the near future."
Catch up quick: Mayor Dickens on July 30 wrote a letter criticizing the county for not participating in the city's NRI, which would set aside billions of dollars from the TADs to fund affordable housing, small business support, health and wellness and education-related projects.
- "This is not only bad governance, but also a regrettable decision that will cost more and deliver less for our city, county and region," Dickens wrote in the letter. "By your vote, this commission has chosen a failed status quo instead of a future with opportunity for all."
Flashback: The 1,300-bed city jail has been caught in the middle of the tense relationship between Atlanta and Fulton County.
- The city and jail reform advocates have long wanted to turn the Downtown facility into a center where people can get mental health or substance abuse treatment instead of being arrested.
- Former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms in 2019 announced the city would close the jail and turn it into a diversion center.
- The City Council in 2022 approved an agreement with Fulton County to lease up to 700 beds at the jail to ease overcrowding at its Rice Street jail. That lease expires at the end of the year.
- In October 2024, the Center for Diversion Services opened in unused space at the facility.
What's next: Fulton County said it's given the city until 5pm Aug. 31 to respond to its offer.