The new University Medical Center and Avery C. Alexander Hospital (UMC) can now officially move into the construction phase which will create new economic opportunities for New Orleans. The combined construction of the UMC and VA hospitals is the largest hospital construction in the world! In pure dollars and sense the UMC will create 5,280 new and saved permanent jobs and $963.5 million in personal earnings in the first five years of operations and create an environment for unprecedented outside investment in New Orleans.