UAMS Chancellor to give keynote at Springdale Chamber annual meeting

University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) Chancellor Dr. Cam Patterson will give the keynote at the 95^th Springdale Chamber of Commerce annual meeting.

The in-person luncheon is scheduled for Feb. 25 starting at 11:30 a.m. at the Northwest Arkansas Convention Center in Springdale.

According to a chamber news release, Patterson will reveal details of a new orthopedic and sports medicine center west of Interstate 49 in Springdale. Late last year, the University of Arkansas paid $13.58 million for 31.2 acres at the southeast corner of Watkins Avenue and Gene George Boulevard, south of Arkansas Children’s Northwest.

The UA System board of trustees approved the $85 million project in March 2021. Nabholz Construction will be the general contractor for the 185,000-square-foot facility. Marlon Blackwell Architects and DSC Architects will lead the building’s design.

The facility will be the latest addition to an area the chamber has dubbed the Springdale Care Corridor. It’s a four-mile stretch of I-49 that includes a dozen healthcare providers.

“As Northwest Arkansas’ healthcare economy continues to grow, our city and the Springdale Care Corridor is becoming synonymous with high-quality patient treatment,” chamber president Bill Rogers said in a statement. “What UAMS has planned for its Springdale Complex has the potential to be impactive on an international scale. Our city and our region will benefit greatly from UAMS’ commitment to Northwest Arkansas.”

The chamber will also recognize the 2022 Civic Service Honoree, Ambassador of the Year and present the chamber’s “10 Things You Should Know” video. Incoming board chair Diana McDaniel of Arkansas Children’s Northwest and outgoing chair Patrick Swope of Legacy National Bank will also provide insights on chamber achievements and goals.