We have been serving patients at our 19th Street location since 1959. And, while renovations, enhancements and improvements have been made during our 62 years there, the site has become outdated and costly to maintain.

As we look to the future, it’s clear more resources are needed that can make better health and wellness a reality. If MCMC is to grow and expand its medical services and continue to be a trusted bedrock of healthcare in the community, a replacement is very much needed.

To that end, we have a bold vision for the future of MCMC and we are excited to have the support of the County Commission to start exploring our plans to build a new hospital campus on the existing Kramer Field site. We know how important Kramer Field is to our community and after many discussions with County and City leadership, together we are exploring the construction of a brand-new state-of-the-art athletic complex.

Benefits to the Community

Our bold vision for MCMC’s future will not only benefit our patients, but the community as a whole in many significant ways.

• The opportunity to create jobs, local spending and community growth through all phases of the project;
• A new healthcare campus that would not only include a new hospital with all private rooms, but also be the home of the Celilo Cancer Center as well as a new inpatient behavioral health center and outpatient services in partnership with the Columbia Gorge Resolution Center;
• The ability to increase access and remove current barriers of entry that exist today for patients, their families and our team members. In addition, a new facility would provide additional opportunities for our employees and providers, including a modern work environment that puts patients at the center.
• The current MCMC campus, which occupies 12.5 acres, will be earmarked to be repurposed into residential housing, in concert with City and County housing needs.

As we plan our future, we are committed to ensuring our community has a voice in how our bold vision comes to life. It is our intent to launch a robust community outreach plan aimed at increasing dialogue and building community awareness.

We know there many questions to be answered, and there is a lot we do not know today. We are just beginning to explore the idea of this vision. We are committed to being open and transparent, and we will keep you informed throughout this journey.

Click here to read the media advisory.

Frequently Asked Questions

Below you can find some answers to questions that may be on your mind. If you have any additional questions, please contact Travis Dray at Travisdr@mcmc.net or 541.506.5750.

1. What is being announced?

Mid-Columbia Medical Center (MCMC) is engaged in a process to envision a new hospital campus at Kramer Field that would replace the existing facility on 19th Street. A new hospital campus would allow MCMC to increase access to the care and services we provide.

2. What does this announcement mean?

This is an exciting time for our community. A new healthcare campus would not only include a new hospital with all private rooms, but also be the home of the Celilo Cancer Center as well as a new inpatient behavioral health center and outpatient services in partnership with the Columbia Gorge Resolution Center.

The project includes collaborating with County and City authorities on the construction of a brand new, state-of-the-art youth athletic complex that has the potential to be the premier youth athletic campus in the state of Oregon.

Additionally, the 12.5 acres that are occupied by the current MCMC campus today will be earmarked to be repurposed into residential housing, in concert with the City and County needs.

3. Why is Mid-Columbia Media Center doing this?

We have been serving patients at our 19th Street location since 1959. And, while renovations, enhancements and improvements have been made to our hospital facility over the past 62 years, the site has become outdated and costly to maintain.

A new hospital campus would reflect the best of what 21st century has to offer, while increasing access to care and services for families throughout The Dalles and the Columbia River Gorge.

4. Who is funding this?

We are still in the early stages of this process, and there are a lot of things we do not know today. However, it is important to know that no public bonds will be issued for the new hospital project. MCMC is a non-profit, independent healthcare provider and does not rely on public funds.

5. Will this affect jobs at MCMC?

No. By increasing access to care and services, we are hopeful we’ll be able to grow our team and invest in our workforce. Additionally, this project encapsulates many strong economic drivers that will create the opportunity for new jobs in the community through all phases of the project.

6. What does this mean for Kramer Field?

We understand how important Kramer Field is to our community, especially our young people. After many discussions with County and City leadership, together we are exploring the construction of a modern athletic complex. To that end, our plan is to build a new hospital campus for the community and, in parallel, work with local authorities on the joint vision to create a destination athletic complex that has the potential to be the premier youth athletic complex in the state of Oregon.

7. What are the next steps?

As we plan for the future, we are committed to ensuring our community has a voice in how our bold vision comes to life. It is our intent to launch a robust community outreach plan aimed at increasing dialogue and building community awareness.

We are committed to being open and transparent and we will keep the community informed throughout the journey. Stay tuned for more information about the project and to stay updated on our progress.