Thomson Correctional Center Thomson Correctional Center is an Illinois Department of Corrections maximum security prison located just north of Thomson , Illinois . It has an area of about and comprises 15 buildings . The facility is enclosed by a , 7000 volt electric fence surrounded by an additional exterior fence covered with razor wire . Thomson has eight cellhouses with 1 , 600 total cells , and an additional minimum - security unit with 200 beds . However , from its completion in 2001 to 2006 , it sat empty and , , only the minimum - security section houses prisoners . On April 30 , 2010 Thomson closed . History . The building of the prison was controversial ; early plans suggested using the site of the former Savanna Army Depot , several miles north of Thomson . One of the main reasons the prison was controversial was concern that the prison would have a negative impact on the environment , especially being so close to the Mississippi River . Thomson Correctional Center was built between May 1999 and November 2001 . Its completion cost $ 140 million , but the state omitted opening costs from the 2002 budget , and Governor George H . Ryan called for a delay to the opening to save $ 50 million per year in operating costs . By 2009 , the total cost to the state of Illinois exceeded $ 170 million . The minimum security unit has an annual budget of $ 7 million . State budget constraints as well as labor union opposition to closing other state prisons prevented the maximum - security prison from opening . In 2008 , Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich proposed to close the state prison in Pontiac , Illinois and to open the Thomson maximum - security unit instead . However , Blagojevich was subsequently arrested on December 9 , 2008 , and removed from office . His replacement , Governor Pat Quinn cancelled plans to close the Pontiac prison in March 2009 , leaving Thomson unused . Illinois Senator Dick Durbin ’ s office announced on October 2 , 2012 that the Obama administration and Federal Bureau of Prisons is buying the Thomson Correctional Center from the Illinois for $ 165 million . An administration official said the deal was to address overcrowding issues , and Thomson would not be used to house any Guantanamo detainees , which the official noted was prohibited by law . “ The entire facility will house only [ Bureau of Prison ] inmates ( up to 2 , 800 ) and be operated solely by BOP . Specifically , it will be used for administrative maximum security inmates and others who have proven difficult to manage in high - security institutions , ” said the official , who asked not to be named . This statement was echoed in letter from U . S . Attorney General Eric Holder . " I have committed that no Guantanamo detainees will be transferred to Thomson . As you know , any such transfer would violate express legal statutory prohibitions , " Holder said in a letter to Representative Frank Wolf , who fought the proposal . Democratic Senator Dick Durbin of Illinois said the move would create 1 , 000 jobs in the area of Thomson . Federal officials have said that building a new prison instead of buying Thomson would cost about $ 400 million and take years . State officials estimated that annual operation of the facility would generate more than $ 122 million in operating expenditures , including salaries and $ 61 million in local business sales . Transfer of Guantanamo Bay detainees . On December 15 , 2009 , President Barack Obama , via a Presidential memorandum , formally ordered the departments of Justice and Defense to arrange Federal ownership of the prison , and prepare for transfer there of both Federal prisoners and Guantanamo detainees . According to previous press reports , the acquisition plan contemplated housing there up to 100 inmates from the camp , in addition to other federal prisoners . The Federal Bureau of Prisons will erect a more secure perimeter fence , so its perimeter security exceeds supermax standards . The portion of the Thomson prison that will be used to house Guantanamo detainees will be operated by the Department of Defense , while the rest of the prison will be operated by the Federal Bureau of Prisons . CNN stated that before the decision was announced , many in the town welcomed the idea of Guantanamo prisoner housing in their town as the hopes will revitalize the town ' s economy and bring jobs . However , funding for detainee transfers was blocked and the Obama Administration has no more plans to transfer Guantanamo detainees to Thompson .