Arkansas Children's Hospital plans to build a hospital in Springdale on land donated by Gary and Robin George, a hospital spokesman said recently.
Hospital officials plan to unveil plans on Friday during the Color of Hope Charity Gala at the John Q. Hammons Center in Rogers, said Ashley Leopoulos, a hospital spokesman. Officials declined to offer any more information Friday.
"I don't have details on that," Jennifer Pyron, director of communications and planning for the Arkansas Children's Hospital Foundation, said Friday when asked about the land donation and Northwest Arkansas hospital plans. "We are going to hopefully be in a position to share something next week."
Northwest Arkansas hospital administrators said Friday that they have been meeting with Children's Hospital leaders.
Martine Pollard, executive director of communications and community integration for Mercy Health System of Northwest Arkansas, said conversations have taken place over the past several months and included what Children's Hospital's presence in Northwest Arkansas might look like.
"We've also had conversations with representatives from Children's Hospital on how we could collaborate and how we could work together to better serve the community," said Pat Driscoll, Northwest Health System director of marketing and business development.
Gary and Robin George are serving as the 2015 Color of Hope chairmen. The fundraiser is in its 22nd year and its 1,600 tickets are sold out. Robin George also serves on the foundation board of directors. Gary George is chairman of George's Inc., a privately held poultry company based in Springdale.
"The Georges are grateful parents and grandparents of Arkansas Children's Hospital," Pyron said.
The Georges have a personal connection to the Little Rock hospital -- a son and grandchild were treated there.
In June, Dr. Jay Deshpande, Arkansas Children's Hospital chief medical officer, said the hospital already has a significant presence in Northwest Arkansas.
"The Lowell Clinic offers several specialties which develop on-site care on a part-time basis as well as a full-time primary care clinic," he wrote in an email. "That clinic has seen significant year-over-year growth despite having limited ancillary testing or procedural capability."
In 2007, Children's Hospital and the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences' Pediatrics Department opened a clinic in Lowell. It offers primary care and a pediatric subspecialties such as cardiology, pulmonology and neurology.
Business on 08/01/2015