The facility houses 1,100 inmates and employs roughly 560 people, but the operational costs of the 111-year-old building have become "untenable," Gov. Tim Walz said.

The Stillwater prison has had a long life, but after 111 years the facility housing adult males has served its time. The decision to close the prison by mid-2029 was reached as part of a budget deal between the Minnesota Legislature and Gov.

Around half of the inmates at Stillwater prison will be transferred to the Department of Corrections’ nine other male facilities, while others will remain at Stillwater as operations are reduced in phase one. There is also the possibility that inmates at other facilities will move to Stillwater during the phased closure.