Baptist Health broke ground today on a 37-acre site on the west side of Interstate 40 in Conway for a 96-bed hospital that will cost $130 million.

The facility, which joins Conway Regional Medical Center in the city, will have eight operating rooms and an emergency room.

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Troy Wells, Baptist CEO, said the hospital will meet growth in the area. Thirty local doctors have joined in the enterprise, to be operated as a “not-for-profit, faith-based community hospital offering comprehensive clinical services.”

When opened, it will employ 425, the hospital said.

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The new hospital comes as many hospitals are laying off staff and consolidating operations. Conway Regional has talked in recent months — since the Baptist plans became known — about strategic partnerships with other institutions, including Baptist and St. Vincent. In May, it was announced that it was talking exclusively with St. Vincent, owned by Catholic Health Initiatives.

The site is next to Caldwell Toyota, near the Dave Ward Drive exit from I-40.

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