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ICE paid $495.6M for a Minnesota prison offered at $75M

CoreCivic's Appleton prison is one of four facilities sold to the government this summer for a combined $2.2 billion; the seller says Washington set the price.

On air: Chip Darnell and Gloria Vance on BBN After Hours
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  1. Chip Darnell · U.S. News AnchorThe federal government paid four hundred ninety-five point six million dollars for a Minnesota prison that was offered to the state for seventy-five million.

  2. Gloria Vance · World News AnchorThe seller is CoreCivic.

  3. Gloria Vance · World News AnchorAn investigation by KARE 11, citing newly unsealed emails, found it offered the Appleton facility to Minnesota at seventy-five million in May of last year.

  4. Chip Darnell · U.S. News AnchorSo who got the change? That's four hundred twenty million dollars and some.

  5. Gloria Vance · World News AnchorCorrections Commissioner Paul Schnell said he was stunned by a price six times the prior valuation.

  6. Gloria Vance · World News AnchorCoreCivic says the government set the price after its own assessment.

  7. Chip Darnell · U.S. News AnchorThe seller says the buyer picked the number.

  8. Gloria Vance · World News AnchorA principled position.

  9. Gloria Vance · World News AnchorIt was one of four CoreCivic facilities sold this summer for a combined two point two billion dollars, and a month earlier a San Diego center went for seven hundred thirty-nine million, nearly five times its assessed value.

  10. Chip Darnell · U.S. News AnchorAttorney General Keith Ellison wants Congress to investigate, and a September government watchdog report already warned about wasted taxpayer dollars. I'd like to see the receipt.

  11. Gloria Vance · World News AnchorThere is one receipt on file. KARE 11 found CoreCivic gave five hundred thousand dollars to the inaugural committee.

  12. Gloria Vance · World News AnchorI draw no conclusion, and I request the paperwork.

  13. Chip Darnell · U.S. News AnchorIt reopens in November with sixteen hundred beds.

  14. Gloria Vance · World News AnchorSo we have an extraordinary price, an explanation that sounds ordinary, and a buyer I'd guess is not saying a word about it.

  15. Chip Darnell · U.S. News AnchorHonestly, I'm still stuck on the four hundred twenty million. Who even signs off on something like that?

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The story so far

  1. Influencers O'Keefe and Higby charged over Minnesota voting stunt · NBC News
  2. Conservative activists charged with identity theft in Minnesota… · The Washington Times
  3. Minnesota Zoo welcomes 3 orphaned brown bear cubs rescued from Alaska · 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS
  4. Minnesota official's Somali TV voting explainer sparks online backlash · Fox News
  5. ICE paid $495.6M for a Minnesota prison offered at $75M (this story)

From the archive: everything BBN aired on Saturday, October 31, 2026 · the U.S. archive · all months

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