Ballad confirms purchase of land for new hospital in Unicoi

Ballad Health confirmed the purchase of land in Unicoi on Tuesday to be used for a new Unicoi County Hospital. The company announced it would be holding an event Wednesday for media to answer questions about the property, progress and timelines and the next steps leading to the groundbreaking of the land. The company purchased a parcel of land off Rocky Bottom Drive behind Walmart in Unicoi on Friday, according to public transfer of property documents. The land, which Ballad Chief Operating Officer Eric Deaton said in January would be the new location of the Unicoi County Hospital, was finalized with a deed transfer indicating a purchase price of $2,328,600 on Friday. The seller was listed as Sue Jones. The transfer document indicates a transfer of 15.524 acres of land to Mountain States Health Alliance, which still operates under the Ballad Health umbrella. Deaton said in January that Ballad had looked at nearly a dozen locations for a possible new site throughout Unicoi County but ultimately selected the parcel in Unicoi for its proximity to Interstate 26 and its lack of interference with the railroad. After the Unicoi County Hospital was destroyed in 2024 by flooding caused by Hurricane Helene, Ballad announced plans to rebuild the hospital, but snags in funding put the project in danger for a period of time. However, Deaton and Ballad CEO Alan Levine expressed confidence at different times that the hospital would be rebuilt. Originally, Ballad announced the land purchase was expected to be finalized in February of this year with construction slated to follow in the spring, with the projected expected to be finished by the end of 2027. Unknown delays have caused that date to be pushed back until now.