The prison on has a design specification of 512 beds with 43 in special housing and the rest in general housing and dormitory. The prison handles inmates sentenced to terms of five years or less. It also will house people who are awaiting trial. The prison opened as part of the Base Realignment and Closure with the consolidating (and closing) of prisons in Lackland Air Force Base, Fort Sill and Fort Knox. The prison, rather than using traditional block house construction, utilizes modular cells. The facility has 480 geothermal wells, each deep to handle its cooling and heating.