The Valley Prosperity Partnership (VPP) steering committee began prioritizing economic and community development opportunities identified in early research and interviews with stakeholders throughout the Valley.

 

"We have moved into the second phase of our strategic planning efforts," said Tammy Miller, VPP co-chair and CEO of Border States Electric. "We are hearing many innovative ideas from throughout the Red River Valley about opportunities for economic growth to secure a prosperous future through collaboration."

 

The group is prioritizing actions that will support:

• An exceptionally stable and growing economy
• Extraordinary business health
• An unparalleled workforce
• Unrivaled education and research
• World-class communities

 

Steve Burian, VPP co-chair and CEO of AE2S noted, "The Valley today is in a position of economic strength, but we must develop a proactive and focused plan for that strength to continue."

 

William C. Marcil, Chairman of Forum Communications Company, launched the VPP with an initial $100,000 investment. The committee of 27 Red River Valley business leaders is anchored by the economic development corporations of Fargo Moorhead and Grand Forks.

 

"We all recognize the importance of collaborating and leveraging resources to develop a unified vision for high value and sustained economic growth for all residents," said Miller.

 

"The level of engagement from the community and the ideas that are being advanced are really exciting to us," said Rich Overmoyer, CEO, Fourth Economy Consulting. "This is a region that is really starting to identify its shared potential and we are honored to be helping to prioritize their actions through this process."

For more information, go to www.valleyprosperitypartnership.com   

Sanford Health has unveiled the final architectural renderings showcasing the detailed exterior design of the new Sanford Fargo Medical Center. This is the first time the final designs of the $494 million project have been available, giving people a realistic vision of what the building's exterior will entail.

The building design is classic collegiate gothic architectural style, Sanford's chosen design for all its new builds. The look is timeless, low maintenance and serves as a visual embodiment of Sanford Health. The soaring 11 story structure has four hospital towers in the shape of an "X," allowing all patient rooms to have large windows with unobstructed views. At its peak, it will be 7 feet shorter than Fargo's Radisson hotel. With 384 beds and 1 million square feet, it remains one of the top 10 largest health care construction projects in the nation. The location will serve as an I-94 gateway. With 58% of Sanford's patients coming from outside the metro area, easy interstate access is key.

"The vision and initial plans to build were first formed in 2009 by Kelby Krabbenhoft and Dr. Roger Gilbertson," said Nate White, chief operating officer, Sanford Health. "With careful planning and a focus on putting patients first we are very pleased to be at this stage."

It is a massive construction project with far reaching economic impact. From architects to electricians to builders and plumbers, it is expected that 700-800 workers will be involved over the course of several years. Fargo's new medical center is just one of several projects Sanford is embarking on, totaling more than
$1 billion in new clinic and hospital construction more than five years.

Other projects include: $60 million Sanford Thief River Falls Medical Center, $17 million Sanford Moorhead Clinic, $8 million Sanford Bemidji addition and $20 million Sanford Dickinson Clinic, all currently ahead or on schedule.

Upon completion of the new medical center, Sanford Health will continue with its plans to remodel the existing downtown Fargo campus and expand the Roger Maris Cancer Center.

To follow construction updates or to learn more, visit sanfordhealth.org/fargomedicalcenter