The Minnesota Senate Finance Committee voted late Wednesday for legislation establishing an "objective and fair selection process" for a new hospital to serve Maple Grove and surrounding suburbs. The bill, authored by Sen. Warren Limmer, (R- Maple Grove) authorizes construction of a new hospital here and creates an impartial process through the Department of Health for selecting among three competing hospital proposals.

"An impartial review process, not a political process, is the way to assure that the proposal best able to meet residents," says David Wessner, chief executive officer of Park Nicollet Health Services.

The three proposals are from Fairview Health Services, North Memorial Health Care and a group called the Maple Grove Tri-Care Partnership, which consists of Allina Hospitals & Clinics, Park Nicollet Health Services, and Children's Hospitals and Clinics.

The Maple Grove Tri-Care Partnership proposes to build a $72-million, 60- to 100-bed hospital near the Interstate Hwy. 94 Corridor at 97th Avenue and Dunkirk Lane. The group says it could develop a hospital of up to 250 beds eventually on the 84-acre site, which includes 34 acres of wetlands that would remain undeveloped.

Fairview has a $106-million proposal before the health department for a hospital and a clinic and cancer center. Fairview said the provider intends to proceed this year with the $46-million, 126,000-sf clinic and cancer center regardless of the legislative outcome on the hospital proposal. Right after the health department's report, Fairview officials said their organization could open a hospital faster than its two competitors. The hospital would have 72 to 100 beds and be at least 146,000 sf. Fairview expects that up to 284 beds would be needed over the next 10 to 15 years.

North Memorial has a $117-million outpatient clinic and hospital on the books as part of a 157-acre retail and medical development proposed by Ryan Cos. The $59-million first phase includes a 70,000-sf medical office building, and a 105,000-sf outpatient center that would proceed this spring, according to North Memorial.

Instant Insights /

GlobeSt.com UPDATE: Three-way Fight for Maple Grove Hospital

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