The Herald-News - News Story

Nursing home could bring 125 jobs: Zoning for Life Care to be discussed Monday by city planners

Life Care Centers of America is eyeing property on Manufacturers Road for a nursing home that Dayton Mayor Bob Vincent said could create up to 125 new jobs.

The Dayton Planning Commission will meet in a special called session Monday at noon to discuss rezoning the property from industrial to a residential classification that would apply to nursing homes. The public meeting will be held at city hall.

Vincent said he is unsure if there is any opposition to the zoning proposal. But he said the potential for new jobs and a $12-million construction project by Life Care spells good news for Dayton.

"It seems like something we should all be excited about," said Vincent, who met with Life Care officials this week to discuss the deal.

Steve Dillard of Dillard Construction currently owns the land on Manufacturers Road, located behind the Eagle Exxon service station in north Dayton.

Dillard declined to comment Friday.

It has been no secret that Life Care is interested in Rhea County.

The company paid $1.5 million in February to purchase the county nursing home with promises to build a new facility sometime in the next three years.

The planning commission meeting Monday will start the process for the new Life Care nursing home.

"We are particularly happy that we will be able to provide long-term health care services to our friends and neighbors in Rhea County and the surrounding area," Life Care President Beecher Hunter said in a statement issued Friday.

"Planning has already begun for development of a new skilled nursing facility for Rhea County, and we are excited about that prospect," he said. "We promise to be good corporate citizens and a partner in the good continuum of health care available to the community."

Life Care Center of Rhea County will be one of 25 skilled nursing and rehabilitation facilities in Tennessee managed by Life Care Centers of America.

Life Care was founded in 1976 and is a nationwide health care company with headquarters in Cleveland, Tenn.

The company operates more than 220 nursing, sub-acute and Alzheimer's centers in 28 states.