Petition begins for FAU to drop stadium sponsorship by prison GEO group
Florida Atlantic University’s decision to accept a nearly $6 million sponsorship from a private prison system operator for FAU’s football stadium naming rights has, not surprisingly, been met with resistance and now, a petition.
The controversial GEO Group, based in Boca Raton, Fla. with facilities throughout the world, also operates an immigration detention center in nearby Pompano Beach, Fla. On Tuesday, a petition was started by Dream Activist with the intent of having the GEO Group’s name removed from FAU’s stadium, the South Florida Sun-Sentinel reported.
FAU play-by-play announcer Ken LaVicka is floating the nickname, ‘Owlcatraz,’ although he is not involved with the petition.
The GEO Group has been the subject of numerous allegations of corruption and human rights violations.
Even Wikipedia details the allegations of botched post-surgery care, inmate suicide attempts, volunteer labor that pays $1 per day and neglected psychiatric treatment, plus for-profit GEO’s appeals to the federal government against immigration law relaxation.
“This gift is a true representation of The GEO Group’s incredible generosity to FAU and the community it serves,” FAU president Mary Jane Saunder said.
Stephen Colbert on FAU’s new prison sponsor
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dut9Nx9oHDg