FERRIDAY, La. – State agencies have finished inspecting an expansion of the Concordia Parish Correctional Facility and state inmates could be transferred there next week, according to a sheriff’s official.

&uot;There’s a possibility that we could get prisoners as soon as Monday,&uot; Kathleen Stevens, a spokesperson for the Concordia Parish Sheriff’s Office, said on Friday. Sheriff Randy Maxwell could not be reached for comment.

A grand opening was held March 23 for the 46,000-square-foot expansion, which was built by Rayville-based B.A.S. Construction.

But before inmates could be transferred to the facility, the state’s Department of Corrections, Fire Marshal’s Office and Department of Health and Hospitals had to inspect the expansion.

The 500-bed expansion includes eight prisoner dorms with four control rooms overlooking them; a multi-purpose room; expanded kitchen and storage facilities; and four recreational yards.

The sheriff’s office is planning to eventually use the new facility – built on Louisiana 15 next to the existing prison, which was built in 1997 – to house prisoners not participating in drug rehabilitation programs.

The older prison, which now houses almost 400 prisoners, will house prisoners in drug rehab programs. Both parts of the prison will be minimum-security.

Once inmates are brought to the expansion, they will participate in educational programs such as GED classes and job training, just as they do at the current prison.

The prison expansion is expected to employ 65 people and create an estimated 150 jobs in the surrounding area. Together, the two facilities are expected to have a direct economic impact of $500,000 per month and an indirect impact of $3.5 million per month.