A groundbreaking ceremony was held Tuesday morning to celebrate the development of the 96-acre Ascension Clarksville Medical Campus near the intersection of Highway 76 and I-24.<\/p>\n
CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW<\/a>) \u2013 A groundbreaking ceremony was held Tuesday morning to celebrate the development of the 96-acre Ascension Clarksville Medical Campus near the intersection of Highway 76 and I-24.<\/p>\n The event included Ascension Saint Thomas representatives, elected officials and other community leaders all coming together to celebrate the historic moment in Clarksville. <\/p>\n Community leaders address historic day in Clarksville<\/p>\n Leaders at Tuesday\u2019s ceremony said the project represents years of planning and collaboration between the different stakeholders involved. <\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re in a moment that this community has been waiting for a long time,\u201d said Fahad Tahir, President and CEO of Ascension Saint Thomas. \u201cThis community wanted us here. And that\u2019s what makes it that much more special.\u201d<\/p>\n Montgomery County Mayor Wes Golden called the project an investment in the future of the county and its residents. \u201cToday is an investment into the people of Montgomery County, their health, their well-being and quality of life,\u201d Golden said. \u201cWith a population of our size, we must focus on accessible, high-quality healthcare close to home where we live, work, play and worship.\u201d<\/p>\n Clarksville Mayor Joe Pitts described the groundbreaking as a transformational moment for the city. \u201cToday cannot be overstated,\u201d Pitts said. \u201cWe\u2019re here to bear witness to a transformational moment in our city and our community. The addition of Ascension Saint Thomas to our healthcare infrastructure will be one of those defining moments.\u201d<\/p>\n \u2018We came here to listen, to ask questions and to learn\u2019<\/p>\n Hospital leaders said the development was designed specifically around feedback from Clarksville residents rather than a standard hospital model. \u201cWe didn\u2019t come here with a blueprint,\u201d Tahir said. \u201cWe came here to listen, to ask questions and to learn. What you see around you is the manifestation of that feedback.\u201d<\/p>\n Ascension President and CEO Eduardo Conrado said the project is intended to serve as both a healthcare destination and a gathering place for the community. \u201cIt\u2019s not a box that we\u2019re creating. It\u2019s a campus,\u201d Conrado said. \u201cIt was very intentional to represent the land, represent the community, be walkable and be not just a healthcare campus, but a gathering place.\u201d<\/p>\n The 96-acre campus is expected to expand healthcare access in Clarksville while reducing the need for residents to travel to Nashville for specialized care. Leaders said the project will also create new jobs and support continued growth in Montgomery County.<\/p>\n | PREVIOUSLY:\u00a0Ascension Clarksville Medical Campus to include public infrastructure, seeks tax incentives<\/a><\/p>\n Lead up to groundbreaking ceremony <\/p>\n The process for the development of the Clarksville medical campus began when Ascension Saint Thomas and TriStar both received approval to build hospitals<\/a> in Clarksville by the Tennessee Health Facilities Commission. <\/p>\n The groundbreaking celebration was held shortly after the economic impact plan for the Ascension Clarksville Medical Campus was approved<\/a> by the Clarksville City Council and Montgomery County Commission in recent weeks.<\/p>\n It was confirmed in mid-May that\u00a0Ascension St. Thomas planned for much more than a hospital<\/a>\u00a0on their future health campus.<\/p>\n The $148.5 million hospital will anchor the Ascension Clarksville Medical Campus, bringing together physician partners,\u00a0Tennessee Oncology, Tennessee Orthopaedic Alliance<\/a>, Ascension Saint Thomas Heart, the inpatient\u00a0Lifepoint Rehabilitation hospital<\/a>, and a\u00a0Montgomery County Emergency Medical Services station<\/a>.<\/p>\n There will also be restaurants and retail to support the patients, employees and visitors. To make the project happen, AST will build a public connector road from Mulberry Place at the north to Little Hope Church Road at the east, according to previous reports, along with an expanded water main.<\/p>\n Wesley Irvin contributed to this report. <\/p>\n