Ceremony Tuesday to Celebrate New Hospital in Santa Rosa to be Built with ARRA Funds

USDA Rural Development State Director Terry Brunner announced in a statement released today that Congressman Harry Teague and Lt. Governor Diane Denish will join him in a ceremony kicking off the construction of a new $10 million hospital in Guadalupe County.

In making the announcement Brunner said, “The new Guadalupe County hospital will replace the existing 56-year-old, 10-bed acute care hospital with a 10-bed, 21,410 square foot hospital and a 10,000 square foot medical clinic. Brunner added, “This will be the only full facility hospital on Interstate-40 between Albuquerque and Amarillo, Texas, and eastern New Mexico residents will see their access to modern medical services grow substantially.”

The funding for the new hospital is made possible by a $9,400,000 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) loan through USDA Rural Development’s Community Facilities loan program. The program provides funds to build essential community facilities and provides fundamental equipment for these facilities in rural areas of population of 20,000 or less.

To celebrate the obligation of funds to build the new facility a closing ceremony will be held at the Guadalupe County Court House on December 29, 2009 at 11:00 AM. Following the signing of the legal documents, a ceremonial obligation of funds certificate will be presented to the Guadalupe County Commission and Hospital Board. The ceremony will be held at the Santa Rosa Mid-School located at 116 Camino De Vida Road at the intersection of Camino De Vida and U.S. Highway 54.

The new hospital, to be built on the southwest side of Santa Rosa, will provide medical care to the 5,000 residents of Guadalupe County and the surrounding area with the most modern up–to-date medical services and equipment. The current hospital serves a 5,032 square mile area including the City of Santa Rosa, several small villages and many square miles of sparsely populated area along Interstate 40 and U.S. Highway 54.

Further information on the Community Facilities Program and other Rural Development programs can be obtained by calling 505-761-4953 or by visiting the USDA website.