Effective Dec. 1, St. Elizabeth Healthcare will assume the lease of the METS Center from Northern Kentucky University and will begin managing the facility for its training and professional development needs.
NKU will end its long-time lease on Nov. 30 of the METS Center, which is operated by Corporex.
Since 2003, the METS Center has been an unparalleled meeting, training and conference facility.
For a variety of reasons outside of NKU’s control, however, the operation of the METS Center has required a substantial university subsidy for many years.
Given state budget reductions and constrained university resources, NKU can no longer justify a substantial subsidy to operate the METS Center.
Working closely with NKU and other community partners, St. Elizabeth Healthcare saw this as a great opportunity to utilize this center for a dedicated education and professional training space for its associates.
With the full support of NKU, St. Elizabeth engaged in negotiations with Corporex, which operates the METS Center.
“We value our partnership with St. Elizabeth, and we believe that this new use of the METS Center will be a substantial benefit to our community,” said NKU President Geoffrey S. Mearns.
St. Elizabeth will utilize this space for its Staff Development department, which is currently located on Dolwick Drive in Erlanger, and it will be used for ongoing classroom training.
With the larger space, St. Elizabeth will be able to create more simulation labs where its clinical staff will encounter replicated, real-life scenarios that they face on a daily basis in the hospital and emergency medicine settings.
“As healthcare needs continue to grow, so do the services and training facilities required to continuously train and educate healthcare staff,” said Garren Colvin, St. Elizabeth President and CEO. “This agreement with the METS Center not only complements the work and vision of NKU’s new Health Innovation Center, but will also serve as that next-step of continued education and training space for healthcare professionals after their degree is complete and they are working in the healthcare setting.”
Events occurring at the METS Center prior to Nov. 30 will occur with no change or interruption. For events occurring after Nov. 30, both NKU and St. Elizabeth are proactively working with clients to find suitable alternative event locations that will meet the event needs.
St. Elizabeth Healthcare operates six major facilities throughout Northern Kentucky and more than 110 primary care and specialty office locations in Kentucky, Indiana and Ohio. St. Elizabeth is sponsored by the Diocese of Covington and is a member of the Mayo Clinic Care Network.
St. Elizabeth Healthcare