Construction Of New Hospital Building In Tahlequah Reaches Milestone

The Cherokee Nation marked a milestone on Thursday in the construction of a new hospital in Tahlequah.

It's expected to help deliver major improvements in health care.

A crowd gathered around the final steel beam—nurses and construction workers—to sign it, more than half of them Cherokee citizens.

The hundreds of names represent the people behind the $470 million project.

“We'll have so many more services, from a cath lab and new stroke center, for so many more people,” said Carrie Zowdy.

The shell of the new building is almost complete.

Workers are installing the last of the windows, but the project is still more than a year from completion—now expected in early 2026.

“We have to build towards a world-class system of wellness, and we can't do that if we stand still on infrastructure,” Chief Chuck Hoskin said.

The final beam was lifted into place at the top, marking the move towards work on the interior.

The new hospital is more than twice as large as the old one, which the nation says handles 2 million patient visits a year.

“We're going to be able to expand services we've never been able to expand. We're limited in our current facility. It's designed for a much smaller workload than what it does now,” Dr. Stephen Jones said.

The new hospital will replace the old Hastings Hospital, built 40 years ago. The old building will remain here, eventually being renovated for other care, creating a campus with more than a million square feet of healthcare facilities for the Cherokee people.

The new six-story building, funded entirely by the Nation, will give the Cherokees a new hospital, outpatient clinic, and medical school, all on the same campus, with all services free for members of any recognized tribe.