Universal Health to build hospital in northwest LV

Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2003 | 11:17 a.m.

Universal Health Services Inc. on Tuesday announced plans to build a fifth hospital in the Las Vegas Valley, this one in far northwest Las Vegas.

The King of Prussia, Pa.-based company, which operates locally as Valley Health System, plans to build an acute care hospital at the intersection of the Las Vegas Beltway and U.S. 95 in the Montecito Town Center.

The company has not disclosed details such as how many beds the hospital will have or what the construction timetable will be.

Universal Health said in a statement that it chose the area because its "dynamic growth of the last five years is projected to continue well past 2010. Without a community hospital to call their own, these residents' health care needs would remain underserved."

The statement also said Universal Health focuses on areas where the population is expanding.

Universal Health also owns Desert Springs, Valley, Spring Valley and Summerlin hospitals.

Other large Las Vegas Valley hospital operators say they do not plan to expand into the northwest at this point.

"At this point HCA doesn't have any plans to expand any farther in the northwest," said Rick Plummer, spokesman for MountainView Hospital. "We do have plans to expand here."

HCA's MountainView, 3100 N. Tenaya Way, plans in 2004 to add 36 beds to its fifth floor and begin construction on a new patient tower for 100 additional beds. HCA also owns Sunrise Hospital and is preparing to open the new Southern Hills Hospital in the southwest valley.

Catholic Healthcare West, owner of St. Rose Dominician Hospitals, does not currently have any plans to move into the far northwest, Chief Executive Rod Davis said.