Groundbreaking for Goose Creek Correctional C

MAT-SU — On Wed., June 17, from 3 p.m.-4:30 p.m., the Matanuska-Susitna Borough and the Alaska Department of Corrections are holding a groundbreaking ceremony for the Goose Creek Correctional Center at the project site in Point MacKenzie. The Borough and the State are partners in the project and cordially invite members of the public.

At 435,000 square feet, the $240 million project is the largest building construction project for the state in recent history. The actual site off Alsop Road is 330 acres with some 90 cleared acres.

The medium-security facility will have 1,536 beds for male prisoners.

Goose Creek Correctional Center will help bring home the 800-plus Alaska inmates who are housed in Arizona. The project will also return tens of millions of dollars to the Alaska economy.

Borough Manager John Duffy has been among the small group of people who helped start the project seven years ago.

“I’m pleased to say—in this time of economic crisis—we have a major construction project underway that is providing many jobs to MAT-SU residents,” Manager Duffy said.

The construction jobs may be temporary, but they are impressive nonetheless: 700 new construction jobs over three years will be created by this project, with a $100 million dollar payroll.

When the prison is built, some 375 or more permanent jobs will be created to operate the facility. These high quality jobs include fair compensation, good benefits and are less vulnerable to economic swings. Correctional center jobs will provide millions of dollars in annual income, which is “new” money to the Borough and not a recirculation of money already being spent locally.

Some 262 additional houses will be needed for employee families alone if you assume most of the corrections officers reside in the MAT-SU.

Additionally, the prison and its employees will spur the growth of support services such restaurants, grocery stores, maintenance and repair services, utilities, transportation, hotels, etc.

Neeser Construction, Inc., an Alaska company, was selected as the Design-build team. For Neeser, hiring locally is a priority. Some 30 subcontractors are already working for Neeser on this project. Some 25-30 carpenters and 15-20 laborers will be working for Neeser during the busiest construction phases. Most of Neeser’s carpenters and laborers will be MAT-SU residents.

Ron McPheters, president of Laborers International Union of North America Local 341, is “absolutely” pleased with the local hiring effort. “Gerry (Neeser) has gone above and beyond his promise of hiring locally. Other than a general manager from Anchorage, all the laborers, so far, are 100 percent Valley hire,” McPheters said.

Site work began in earnest in April and is progressing ahead of schedule.

Local landowners benefit because the project is developing infrastructure in the region. Gas and telecom fiber are now available. Also a water wastewater plant will be developed, which could provide utility service to the public in the future.

The correctional center site is located about nine miles from the dock at Point MacKenzie.

A comprehensive web site with information on the project and the project team is at http://www.matsugov.us/prison/

For more information, call Patty Sullivan, public affairs director, MAT-SU Borough 907.745-9577 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..