Lee Health has taken another step with plans for a new hospital in Fort Myers to open in 2028.

A key component is a musculoskeletal institute connected to the hospital on Challenger Boulevard that could become a destination center attracting patients from outside the region.

A hotel could be built on the hospital campus at a future date. Challenger Boulevard is southeast of Colonial Boulevard and west of Winkler Avenue, with the hospital at 4453 Challenger Blvd.

The board for the public hospital system in Lee County on Thursday approved a price tag of no more than $434 million for the entire project but a final cost will be brought back to the board in January.

The plan, which will be finalized in January, is for 168 beds in the hospital.

The new campus will replace the aging 414-bed Lee Memorial Hospital at 2776 Cleveland Ave. which is slated to remain operational through 2027.

Lee Health currently operates four general acute care hospitals with a combined 1,877 beds, 134-bed children’s hospital and dozens of outpatient care centers.

The new hospital plan has been on the drawing board for several years, in part to compete with the for-profit HCA Healthcare which plans to build a 100-bed hospital at 3851 Colonial Blvd.

Source:  News-Press