The John J. Benoit Detention Center in Indio, which has seemingly been under construction forever, is now set to open sometime in the first part of 2019. When it finally opens its doo…actually, when it finally closes its doors (it’s a jail), it will be the most expensive public works project in Riverside County history.
According to KESQ, the original construction bid was $279 million. Costs have now risen to $290 million and, with management and architecture costs, the total price of the jail is an astounding $330 million.
With all of the other needs of the Coachella Valley and Riverside County, it might seem weird to you that all that money would be spent on a jail. And, yeah, you’re probably right.
But, at least when your kid is acting up at the Date Fest, you can point to the huge structure and warn them that if they don’t change their attitude, you’re going to put them in there.
