MultiCare, Washington State University and Pacific Lutheran University leaders on Tuesday announced a joint partnership to build a new medical center at PLU’s campus, bringing much-needed medical care to the Parkland-Spanaway area.
Although design details and the financial price tag are yet to be finalized, PLU president Allan Belton said at a news conference the MultiCare medical center could serve 200,000 people and might break ground on about 15 acres of PLU land on the southeast corner of campus in 2027, opening a year or two after that. Belton said PLU is also setting aside 10 acres of land to become a native plant conservation site in collaboration with local tribes, he said.
MultiCare will be leasing the land from PLU to operate the site and also be funding related construction costs, said Zach Power, PLU’s director of communications. MultiCare will be covering the cost of the building and will draw from its existing capital to do so, said MultiCare director of external communications Lori Meyers.