LANSING, Mich. — McLaren Greater Lansing held a groundbreaking ceremony Monday for its new hospital.
They say it's going to improve Mid-Michigan's health care and economy.
A bare field sits in the back of Michigan State University's corporate research park.
By early 2022, a new hospital will take its place.
"Can you imagine this is the construction of a $450 million hospital? It's a spectacular contribution to the central Michigan area," said MSU interim-President John Engler.
The project is expected to create 2,500 construction jobs.
The hospital will have an additional 80 employees that will be on the medical staff by the time it's finished in 2022.
McLaren President and CEO Phil Incarnati said the hospital will also put money in the local economy.
"People will be able to get the latest treatment in their own community as opposed to having to leave the state or going out of the area," said Incarnati.
Engler says the new state-of-the-art facility will help recruit top physicians to the area.
He says it will be easier to get to with bus routes and bike paths headed to it.
"The location here at the university park means that there is very likely new investments of companies coming in here and building research facilities and other new ventures that might be health related, so that's an exciting benefit," said Engler.
When the campus opens, it will feature a 240-bed care hospital, a cancer center and a medical service building.
The two local McLaren hospitals currently operating will be re-purposed for other medical uses when the new hospital is up and running.
