Chattanooga, Tenn.-based Erlanger Health System will hold a groundbreaking ceremony for the new Children's Hospital at Erlanger Outpatient Center in Chattanooga on June 6, according to TheChattanoogan.com.
In attendance will be elected officials, business leaders and local entertainers. University of Tennessee Head Football Coach Butch Joans will also make an appearance. Donors to the "Believe" fundraising campaign, which helped raise money for the new hospital, will be recognized for the success of the campaign, according to the report. The $40 million investment was primarily funded by private donations.
"We encourage the community, particularly our 3,000+ donors and former pediatric patients from throughout the region, to come out and be part of the largest philanthropic initiative in the history of the Erlanger Health System," said Erlanger President and CEO Kevin M. Spiegel, according to the report "We believe this addition to the Erlanger system will be the most important new building in the City of Chattanooga with far-reaching impact, from pediatric treatment, medical education and technology, to research and economic development."
The children's hospital, expected to open in 2018, will serve as the hub of pediatric care at the outpatient campus. It is estimated to serve more than 1 million children from a five-state area and provide more than 250 jobs, according to the report.