Fulton accepts Atlanta's $68M jail offer, but rejects key terms
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The exterior of the Atlanta City Detention Center. Photo: Kristal Dixon/Axios
The bartering over the Atlanta City Detention Center continues, as Fulton County has accepted Mayor Andre Dickens' latest offer to sell the Downtown jail for $68 million — with a catch.
The latest: Fulton County Chairman Robb Pitts told Dickens in a letter Wednesday that the Board of Commissioners agreed to his counteroffer for the 1,300-bed jail, but outlined a few stipulations of its own in response to Dickens' demands.
Zoom in: Pitts said the county is "open to reserving a defined number of beds" as part of an intergovernmental agreement that could be included at the time of closing. Atlanta would have to pay Fulton County for each detainee's cost of food, housing, medical care and staffing.
- The county also said it's committed to keeping the Center for Diversion & Services, and will continue complying with the federal consent decree to ensure jail conditions remain humane.
Yes, but: That's where the agreement ends.
- Fulton County said Atlanta's requests that it contribute $200 million over the next 10 years towards a new West End hospital and make changes to its commercial property assessment process "are not related to the proposed real estate transaction."
- Pitts said the Board of Commissioners will not accept those two caveats in Dickens' letter.
What they're saying: "Mr. Mayor, this is a good deal for both governments and all taxpayers and we intend to close it," he wrote, adding the county wants to reach an agreement by Dec. 4.
- "Fulton County will act with urgency, which this Board has already demonstrated by accepting your price within two days of your last offer," he said.
State of play: Dickens' decision to sell the jail is being opposed by grassroots organizations that would rather see Fulton County reduce its jail population to relieve overcrowding.
- In a letter written Tuesday to Dickens, the Community Over Cages coalition said selling ACDC would convert a "temporary jail lease into permanent detention infrastructure" without the county having to commit to reducing the number of people in jail.
- They also said Dickens would be going back on his previous support to repurpose the Downtown jail as a "center for equity and community benefit."
Catch up quick: Fulton County has been leasing bed space at the jail since 2022 to alleviate overcrowding at its main Rice Street jail. That lease agreement is set to expire at the end of the year.
- Dickens originally offered to sell the building for $80 million, but withdrew it in July when commissioners opposed extending several tax allocation districts (TAD) to fund the mayor's Neighborhood Reinvestment Initiative.
- Fulton County then submitted a counteroffer of $56 million.
Between the lines: Fulton's letter does not mention whether it would support extending the TADs for Dickens' NRI. The mayor needs the backing of the county and the Atlanta Board of Education to extend the TADs.
What's next: Chairman Pitts said Atlanta has until 5pm Sept. 10 to respond to its letter or its $68 million offer will expire.