Minnesota will shut down the state’s aging Stillwater prison by 2029, a move that will lead to layoffs among 565 staff members and require the state to relocate nearly 1,200 inmates. The decision, reached as part of a budget agreement struck by Gov.

Minnesota is closing MCF-Stillwater in phases over four years, with a full closure expected by June 30, 2029. The DOC says the Stillwater prison's infrastructure is crumbling, and the closure will minimize ongoing health and safety concerns. The prison was built in 1914.

The request from correctional staff and unions comes in response to a budget deal from Gov. Tim Walz and legislative leaders who propose closing the Minnesota Correctional Facility in Stillwater