Chase: A $209 million jail? Hunter Thompson would laugh until he cried

Pitkin County is about to drop $125 million just to construct a jail … for 25 inmates. Over its 40-year lifespan, considering staffing and basic operations, this mini-Alcatraz balloons to an obscene $209 million. That’s more than $8 million per inmate. We’re talking private jet territory per prisoner here.

Somewhere, Hunter S. Thompson is howling with disbelief, bourbon spilling everywhere as he cackles at the sheer absurdity. This isn’t just wasteful spending — it’s madness dressed as public safety. Thompson ran for sheriff here precisely to upend this kind of institutional lunacy, advocating for a more humane, rational approach.

Imagine what Aspen could do if it invested even half that money in housing, mental health, recovery programs, or community-building initiatives. Instead, the county wants to cage people at the cost of luxury penthouses. This isn’t Gonzo; this is grotesque.

Aspen was once known as a place where freedom meant something. Let’s not let the bureaucrats bury Hunter’s legacy under a mountain of concrete and misguided fear.

Choose compassion, not cages.

Randy Chase, Aspen and beyond citizen organizer, Gonzo philanthropist

Aspen