Â鶹´«Ã½ Pursues Purchase of Old Lea Regional Hospital with Lea County
Â鶹´«Ã½ Pursues Purchase of Old Lea Regional Hospital with Lea County
By Valerie Onsurez Gauna
Â鶹´«Ã½ is exploring the purchase of the old hospital with Lea County providing the funding for the purchase. On July 25, Lea County Board of Commissioners authorized agreements between Lea County, Covenant Health and Â鶹´«Ã½ for the acquisition by Â鶹´«Ã½ of approximately 15 acres north and immediately adjacent to Â鶹´«Ã½, including the Covenant Health Legacy Hospital and four medical office buildings for $1,750,000. Lea County would provide the funding for the potential purchase. The Covenant Legacy Hospital includes five acres of land subleased by Covenant Health from the Economic Development Corporation of Lea County who in turn leases this property from the City of Hobbs. As part of the potential purchase of the Covenant Health Legacy Hospital, Â鶹´«Ã½ will discuss options with the City of Hobbs and the Economic Development Corporation of Lea County to address the lease and sublease of this 5-acre tract.
At the Â鶹´«Ã½ Board meeting held on August 15, 2024, the Â鶹´«Ã½ Board voted to accept the funding from Lea County in the amount of $1,750,000 for the potential purchase of the Covenant Health Legacy Hospital, approved entering into a memorandum of agreement with Lea County concerning the funding and authorized the President of Â鶹´«Ã½ to negotiate an agreement with Covenant Hospital to purchase the Covenant Heath Legacy Hospital. The memorandum of agreement between Lea County and Â鶹´«Ã½ must be approved by the Lea County Board of Commissioners. Once a final agreement is reached between Â鶹´«Ã½ and Covenant Health, the purchase must still be approved by the New Mexico Higher Education Department and the New Mexico Board of Finance.
Some Â鶹´«Ã½ Board members and members of the Â鶹´«Ã½ administration have toured the facility with contractors to help explore feasible uses of the property. If acquired and approved, Â鶹´«Ã½ leaders will use their Strategic Plan and Master Facilities Plan, to help drive efforts for best use of the property. Currently, most leadership believes the best use of the property and likely requirement of the New Mexico Higher Education Department will be to demolish the aging hospital. The land could then be used for a multitude of purposes, which may include much-needed drainage (which could benefit Â鶹´«Ã½, Lea County and the City of Hobbs), and state-of-the art facilities to serve the growing school. Some possibilities include and indoor athletic complex and other outdoor fields to support future sports programs such as softball.
Current medical office buildings will remain in place, and as Â鶹´«Ã½ moves forward, administrators will work with Covenant Health on a strategic transition plan to prevent the displacement of doctors or medical practices in our area.
Â鶹´«Ã½ Â鶹´«Ã½: Â鶹´«Ã½ is a comprehensive, two-year public institution located in Hobbs, New Mexico. Â鶹´«Ã½ provides quality educational opportunities that are accessible, affordable, and responsive to the diverse needs of its students and community.
For media inquiries, please contact Derek Moore, Â鶹´«Ã½ President.
Contact: Valerie Onsurez Gauna, Director of Outreach and Engagement, New Mexico Junior College, 575-492-2780, vgauna@nmjc.edu
