When completed in the fall, University of Colorado Health's new free-standing emergency department and surgery center will boost the Greeley economy by $9.2 million, according to the city of Greeley.

The 22,000-square-foot building at the southeast corner of 71st Avenue and 10th Street, one of the more trafficked areas due to North Gate Village and King Soopers Marketplace, will be the work home of 75 full-time employees. This translates into about 96 full- and part-time doctors, nurses and support employees with a total annual salary of $4.6 million.

The new money arriving because of the Greeley Emergency and Surgery Center’s presence has multiplying benefits that will extend far out into the Greeley economic scene.

“The project's financial benefit may equate to a $9.2 million economic boost for the community,” said Bruce Biggi, Greeley's economic development manager.

Using the Federal Reserve's fiscal impact tools, Biggi analyzed the direct economic impact of the wages from the medical center’s new jobs and the indirect impact of such things as the possible creation of other new jobs needed to serve the medical center’s business and additional sales and property taxes.

University of Colorado Health (UCHealth) is a partnership between the former Poudre Valley Health System and the University of Colorado Hospital. It includes Poudre Valley Hospital, Medical Center of the Rockies and Colorado Health Medical Group, formerly Poudre Valley Medical Group.

Located in west Greeley, the emergency department and surgery center is scheduled to open in November. The skeleton of the building and interior framing is complete. Crews are currently hard at work putting drywall in place, laying brick, installing windows and developing the mechanical infrastructure.

“Since most new employees might live in Greeley or nearby, this will mostly be new money entering the community's economy,” said Rulon Stacey, UCHealth president.

In simple terms, the working theory is that most UCHealth employees – and their families -- in the newly created jobs will spend pay checks in Greeley to purchase groceries, entertainment, household goods, and such big-ticket items as vehicles and homes. Those new sources of revenue will put more money into local pocketbooks, which in turn will encourage more spending throughout the local economy.

"We are truly pleased to have the new project in our community," Biggi said.

Although it's too early to know, it's likely the center's presence may generate new businesses and additional jobs as more local services are necessary to meet the consumer needs of employees and the medical business, Stacey said.

“The Greeley Emergency and Surgery Center will help enhance growth in a part of the Greeley where development has become active only in recent times,” said Becky Safarik, Greeley's assistant city manager.

"The new medical services will offer a good balance to the other commercial uses developing now in this area of Greeley," said Safarik. "The city encourages strong building and site design, especially along its key entryways. The new facility will complement this community goal and be an attractive addition to this important Greeley travel corridor."

--University of Colorado Health--