NATCHEZ — Corrections Corp. of America announced Monday night they have officially chosen to locate a prison in Adams County.

CCA is a privately-owned and operated correctional company, and has said they will bring 275 jobs to the area.

Adams County was ultimately chosen because it could meet the necessary requirements to build a prison, CCA Marketing Director Steve Owen said.

“Throughout the process, Adams County presented a good opportunity geographically,” Owen said. “(CCA) already had a good foothold in Mississippi, and we felt it would be a good area to build in again.”

Part of Adams County’s appeal was it had a viable site and the things that would be needed to run a prison — water and utilities — would be completed in a way to help CCA build the facility, Owen said. They hope to get a federal contract.

The facility will house 1,668 new beds, and construction is expected to be completed in the final quarter of 2008, company officials said.

The prison will be built at an estimated cost of $105 million.

CCA will look to market the new prison beds to existing and potential customers, Owen said.

The timing of the decision was also based on the ability to receive certain financial breaks related to Hurricane Katrina recovery legislation, Owen said.

“It was a win-win,” he said. “It was good for CCA and good for the parts of the state recovering from that event.”

The company also announced Monday they will expand an existing facility in Tutweiler.

“We are pleased to contribute to the economic vitality of several Mississippi communities and are especially pleased to participate in the restoration and development of the gulf coast regions through the development of the facility in Adams County,” CCA President and Chief Executive Officer John Ferguson said in a press release Monday night.