“Two-thirds of people on Medicare choose to get their treatment at places that are not here,” he said. “Between Capella (MRMC), the Cherokees (Three Rivers Health Center) and us, if we all do a good job, we’ve got a chance to keep those patients here.”

The new facility initially will have 45 private rooms and four operating rooms. Expected to open in the first quarter of 2009, the hospital is on land not previously set up for commercial real estate. Roberts said the group backing the project is willing to pay extra to make it work.

“People will be able to enter on both roads,” he said. “We’re taking care of everything. We will pay for our own road improvements, and we’re already plugged into a 6-inch water line (in Rural Water District No. 9). We also have our own sewer system.”

Roberts said backers are proud that the $52 million project may be the first “green” hospital in the nation. It has been certified under the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Green Building Rating System, a national third-party program.

As for their reasons for going to the extra time and expense, Roberts said there’s no reason to “justify doing the right thing.”

General contractor for the project is Aardex Corp., of Denver, Colo. Aardex has been given a directive to use area sub-contractors, Roberts said.

“We are using recycled products and not being wasteful,” he said. “We recycle more than 50 percent; we’re even careful where we buy our steel. We could have built this hospital for seven figures less.”

Roberts said the hospital will use geothermal heating and cooling via 280 wells dug 300 feet deep.

“We estimate it will save us 90 to 95 percent on heating, and air conditioning will be 45 to 50 percent of what it would otherwise cost,” he said.

A $5 million annual payroll and $500,000-plus in ad valorem taxes will be part of the economic fallout. It will initially employ more than 100 people, Roberts said.

They also plan a medical office building to include a training center used by both the hospital and area education programs.

Reach Keith Purtell at 918-684-2925 or Click Here to Send Email