McKee Medical Center closes conference center, begins cancer-center expansion

LOVELAND — The McKee Conference and Wellness Center, at one time the primary public meeting space in a city without other options, has been repurposed, and the MD Anderson Cancer Center at McKee Medical Center is expanding.

When work is complete, the hospital, located at 2000 N. Boise Ave., will have a new coffee shop, conference rooms, employee gym and expanded cancer care. 

The expansion of the cancer center has taken over the hospital’s 30-year-old conference and wellness center. The conference center, which opened in 1990, hosted CPR classes, birthing classes, the community health fair, flu shot clinics, hospital celebrations as well as Loveland Chamber of Commerce annual meetings, events hosted by community service clubs, business gatherings, homeowners association meetings, Boy Scout galas featuring speakers such as former U.S. president Gerald Ford and more.

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Demand for the space has dropped over the years as other venues came online — the Embassy Suites conference center, meeting spaces at the Ranch Events Complex, expansion of the Rialto theater and others.

“Use of the conference and wellness center has decreased significantly,” Wendy Sparks, chief operating officer at Banner Health in Northern Colorado, said in a written statement. “The region has grown and there are more options for gatherings. Internally, our need for large meeting space also decreased. We meet virtually or in small groups thanks to COVID. 

“The larger need now, however, is to expand local access to high-quality cancer care. We can do that by repurposing this part of our campus,” Sparks said. 

McKee renovated space off the main lobby to accommodate two meeting rooms that can seat up to 50 people each. McKee Coffee Corner that was in the conference center expanded to space just inside the emergency room entrance. Finally, a fundraising effort with the McKee Wellness Foundation allowed the hospital to add an  employee gym, also on the first-floor hall. 

“The gym is going in where we used to have a therapy pool,” Sparks said. “The pool closed several years ago, so we are excited to give that space new life.”  

Demolition of the conference and wellness center began in August. Construction on the cancer center will last through spring 2021. The cancer center project includes: 

• Expanded chemotherapy infusion area with increased privacy and comfort for patients.
• Creation of a pharmacy dedicated specifically to medical oncology infusion services.
• Additional exam rooms, consultation rooms and physician offices to support having multiple specialists meet as a group with each patient to discuss the patient’s diagnosis and treatment plan. 

Construction at the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Greeley at the North Colorado Medical Center has also begun to permit addition of new technology. Details were not available Thursday.

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