The project is set to begin this summer on a 55-acre vacant lot located in the community of Antioch in Davidson County. The lot was purchased by HCA four months ago for $2.2 million.
On its completion, expected in the winter of 2013, HCA will relocate its current 24/7, 70-employee operation from the Nashville corporate campus to the new facility.
The campus regional data center is one of four within the company. Other locations are in Fort Worth, Texas, Orlando, Florida and Anchorage, Alaska, yet there are no plans to consolidate the other centers at Antioch.
“We have four data centers now, and will have four when this opens,” said Ed Fishbough, HCA spokesman, adding the new, larger center here would have more advanced technology and more capacity.
“We’re continuing to expand to meet (our) emerging current information technology needs,” said Fishbough. “By moving the folks from this data center to the new one, that should open up space so we can add positions.”
The expansion has become a necessity with the continued development of the EHR program and additional IT applications HCA is acquiring, requiring more hands to maintain these systems properly. For those in the IT industry, the new data center creates a new concentration of jobs to be filled in the Nashville community.
Part of the continued growth with the data repository includes an application for a $2.1 million grant to be funded by the state for infrastructure costs plus $210,000 in additional job training.
The application is under review by the state's Department of Economic and Community Development, whose approval is required under Tennessee's FastTrack program regulations.
The approval seems favorable though as Governor Bill Haslam has expressed his appreciation to HCA's continued investment in the area. "HCA played a key role in establishing Middle Tennessee as the national healthcare hub it is today," Haslam said. "We appreciate the company's continued investment in our state and its commitment to being such a valuable community partner over the years."
Nashville's mayor, Karl Dean added, "The construction of a new data center here is yet another vote of confidence in our city’s vitality, and I am pleased to see it will be located in Southeast Davidson County."
HCA chairman and CEO Richard Bracken noted of the comments, "We are pleased to make this additional investment in Middle Tennessee to support our mission. We appreciate that our state and local leadership have a strong commitment to maintaining a business climate that fosters growth and encourages investment. We look forward to our continued growth in Tennessee."