[2] The prison opened in July 1993, a project financed by the municipality, which has a long history of corruption, political infighting, and criminal investigations.

[3][4] As of June 1994, the facility was managed by the Dove Development Corporation under a contract with the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.

[9] In October 2010 another 100 inmates were temporarily transferred from Bexar County jail to Crystal City Correctional Center.

As of that time the Internal Revenue Service asked for $400,000 and bondholders threatened legal action, including foreclosure, since they wanted $9.2 million.

[12] As of 2015 the prison remained empty, and John MacCormack of the San Antonio Express-News wrote that there are "no signs of reopening.