Even before Florida closes down several unneeded prisons, the state has a prospective buyer.

Corrections Corporation of America, a Nashville-based private prison contractor, is offering to take some of Florida's prisons off its hands for a price. In a Jan. 13 letter to Corrections Secretary Ken Tucker, CCA executive vice president Harley Lappin discusses the company's successful purchase of an 1,800-bed prison in Ohio last year. CCA specifies it is only interested in prisons that are less than 25 years old.

A spokeswoman for Tucker says the state of Florida has not yet responded to CCA's letter (which can be read here.)