King College Makes Pitch For Medical School

KINGSPORT, Tenn. – A proposed medical school and research center got a warm reception but no financial commitments from city leaders Tuesday.
The city’s Board of Mayor and Aldermen spent nearly two hours digesting a presentation from officials at King College. The Bristol, Tenn., -based private school wants to establish a new medical school to train physicians and promote health research in the Tri-Cities.
The plan, first unveiled in November, has expanded to become a two-campus model. Working in connection with Wellmont Health System, one center would be built near Holston Valley Medical Center in Kingsport and the other near Bristol Regional Medical Center in Bristol, Tenn., college President Greg Jordan said.
“This was very encouraging,” Jordan said after the specially called meeting. “We got a lot of affirmation for our vision and a lot of practical steps being defined, which is appropriate at the municipal and county level.”
Kingsport is being asked to contribute $40 million to help establish the project, which represents about 25 cents on the current tax rate, Mayor Dennis Phillips said.
Phillips, who has actively pursued the medical school, said the final decision will be up to city residents.
“This is a great idea, but the people have got to buy into this. They’ve got to believe in it and let us know how they feel,” Phillips said after the meeting.
Phillips said it will take the cooperation of Kingsport, Bristol, Tenn., and the county to make the project a reality.
“We’re receptive. And we’ll work with the county, NETWORKS Sullivan Partnership and Bristol to see if we can come together,” the mayor said.
Sullivan County Mayor Steve Godsey attended the meeting and invited Jordan to make a similar presentation to the County Commission at its May 18 meeting.
Reached later, Bristol, Tenn., City Manager Jeff Broughton said King officials also will be invited to speak to the Bristol, Tenn., City Council.
The price tag for the new proposal is $150 million – with $100 million dedicated toward building the facilities for research and education and the balance to cover operating expenses for the first five years, Jordan said.
A study by the Pennsylvania-based firm Tripp-Umbach shows the proposed facilities could generate up to $100 million in annual economic impact within four years, in addition to creating hundreds of full-time jobs.
That impact would continue to grow over the next 20 years, Umbach said.
“The average academic medical center, like Vanderbilt in Nashville, Tenn., has an average total impact of $5 billion,” Paul Umbach of the consulting firm said. “By 2035, we estimate the impact would be $2.7 billion within a 150-mile region.”
Jordan said he has already had productive meetings with Gov. Phil Bredesen and U.S. Rep. Phil Roe, R-1st., in addition to talks with officials in Knoxville and Chattanooga about creating a biomedical corridor through East Tennessee.
Originally conceived as just a medical school, the concept now includes expanding King’s current nursing education program, a clinical skills education facility, a research facility, attracting commercial research opportunities and the biomedical corridor.
Vice Mayor Benjamin Mallicote said he was impressed with the scope and potential of the project.
“This is on the order and magnitude of Eastman [Chemical Co.],” Mallicote said. “This could stabilize our economic position for the next 30 years.”
Mallicote said, “everything was on the table.”
Jordan said the request is “venture capital” and compared the school’s funding requests to what Volkswagen asked for in locating its manufacturing plant near Chattanooga.
Kingsport-based Wellmont Health System has agreed to supply facilities, physicians for faculty and other considerations, but hasn’t committed cash to the project, Umbach said.
Holston Medical Group, a Kingsport-based regional group of about 150 physicians, also has agreed to provide faculty, clinical settings and be involved in other ways.

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