The Alice L. Walton Foundation and Mercy have broken ground on a 120-plus-acre health care campus in Bentonville that aims to expand access to specialty care across Northwest Arkansas and the broader Heartland.
Located about two miles east of downtown Bentonville, the AWSOM Whole Health Campus will bring together specialty medical care, whole-person health and community spaces, with an emphasis on nature, art and evidence-based design.
“Today marks an important step toward realizing a vision that has been years in the making,” said founder and philanthropist Alice Walton. “Through prioritizing a whole-health focus and bringing together excellent partners, we’re creating a health care destination for our region, the Heartland, and beyond.”
Construction is underway on the campus’ first building, the 709,000-square-foot Center for Advanced Specialty Care, which will focus on cardiac care in affiliation with the Cleveland Clinic. The facility is planned to open in 2029 and will also offer specialties including orthopedics, gastroenterology and neurology.
AWSOM Whole Health Campus | Courtesy of EDSA
The larger campus plans include more than 1.1 million square feet dedicated to cancer care and a new hospital with more than 250 beds and 40 operating rooms, bringing the planned total to nearly 3 million square feet of specialty care facilities.
“This is a defining moment for Northwest Arkansas and the Heartland,” said Steve Mackin, Mercy President and CEO. “People deserve access to world-class specialty care close to home. Together with Alice and her team, we’re building something unique, bringing leading-edge care, innovation and whole-person health to the heart of America, while simultaneously addressing some of health care’s biggest problems.”
The campus will also serve as a specialty care hub for rural communities, using virtual care and partnerships with local providers to connect patients with advanced services while keeping care as close to home as possible.
The project’s first major philanthropic commitment was also announced during the groundbreaking: a combined $50 million contribution from the Tyson Family Foundation and Tyson Foods Inc.
The AWSOM Whole Health Campus name reflects its connection to the Alice L. Walton School of Medicine and Heartland Whole Health Institute, both of which share a focus on whole-person approaches to health care. The campus will include therapeutic landscapes, trails and gathering spaces alongside medical facilities.
When complete, the Bentonville campus is intended to create a regional destination for specialty care while connecting patients throughout the Heartland with advanced medical services.
Feature Photo: AWSOM Whole Health Campus | Courtesy of EDSA
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