July 13, 2009 –Local media will join (we hope) the PR team, as well as physicians, staff and patients at University Hospital this Thursday at 10 a.m. to celebrate the completion of a three-year $130 million expansion of the state’s only academic medical center. In addition to increasing the number of private rooms, creating a new lobby and improving access to the hospitals services, the expansion also features a convenient parking lot for local news media (which unfortunately will be covered with a giant tent for the ribbon cutting ceremony).

According to Chris Nelson, director of public affairs, the completion couldn’t come at a better time. “It’s been a long three years and we know reporters and photographers have been losing patience,” he said. “We really do like reporters coming up and covering remarkable patient stories and research breakthroughs. We now have convenient parking for them and a great place for TV reporters to do their live shots. Well, at least we will after the tent comes down after the ribbon cutting.”

Nelson says the hospital promises not to close its main entrance and disrupt traffic flow for at least another 30 years.