Bond Sales to Fund New Banning State Courthouse Construction Announced

Lease revenue bond sales scheduled for Nov. 1 that will allow construction to begin on the new state courthouse in Banning were announced Thursday.

"It is terrific news for Banning and our downtown!" Banning Mayor Barbara Hanna said Thursday afternoon.

"We've been taking this one step at a time, and this is an important step in the process," Hanna said. "We're looking forward to that next step, groundbreaking early next year."

The state's Mid-County Justice Center is slated to be completed in 2013. The six-courtroom, 68,399-square-foot will cost an estimated $63.2 million, according to the Judicial Branch of California.

The new Justice Center is considered a catalyst and complement for other development in downtown Banning, including the planned .

Announcement of the bond sales had been delayed until the Legislature had a budget in place for Fiscal Year 2011-2012, Hanna said.

The State Treasurer’s Office will conduct the bond sales, according to an announcement issued Thursday by the Judicial Council, the policy-making body for California courts.

"The projects are funded by revenues from within the judicial branch, with no impact on the state’s General Fund," the announcement stated. "Lease payments that repay the bonds will be supported by dedicated court filing fees, surcharges, and criminal penalties."

The Justice Center in Banning is one of five courthouse projects affected by the bond sales announcement Thursday. The other courthouse projects are in Calaveras, San Benito, San Bernardino and Tulare counties, according to the Judicial Council.

"We're pleased to be moving forward with these long-needed courthouses," Ron Overholt, interim Administrative Director of the Courts, said in a statement. "Each will greatly improve access to justice in these communities, and all are the result of years of effort and many collaborative partnerships needed to bring them to completion."

The total estimated project cost for the new Justice Center in Banning is $63,261,000, which includes land acquisition, construction and other costs, said Teresa Ruano of the Judicial Council of California - Administrative Office of the Courts.