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BREAKING: UCF Seeking Partner To Build Lake Nona Teaching Hospital

UCF has chosen HCA as its partner to build an academic teaching hospital in Medical City.
UCF has chosen HCA as its partner to build an academic teaching hospital in Medical City.

The University of Central Florida is actively seeking a partner to build an academic teaching hospital in Medical City.

UCF released a statement that it's actively looking for a partner to build a teaching hospital next to the UCF College of Medicine in Lake Nona. The proposal would be open to local, state and national health care institutions.

“We have talked for years about when would be the right time to build a university-based teaching hospital. That time is now,” said UCF President John Hitt in a statement. “A UCF teaching hospital is needed to fulfill our commitment to Central Florida – and to all of the citizens of this state – to build a healthier community, train more doctors and power economic growth through research.”

College of Medicine Dean Dr. Deborah German said the hospital would be small, 100 beds, and would hopefully be open in two years.

“The question is how large will it grow? Will it grow to the mega size that some of the highly regarded academic centers across the country are?" German asked. "I don’ know. But what I do know is to start small is the only way to begin.”

UCF said it will not seek state money for the project. The project comes as Medical City at Lake Nona is in flux; while the Orlando VA hospital is slowly activating, the fate of a proposal for the University of Florida to take over Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute in Orlando still waits approval.

This is a breaking news story; check back for details.