$333 Million Wildomar Hospital Expansion Clears Environmental Hurdle

WILDOMAR, CA — A massive $333 million expansion project at Wildomar's Inland Valley Medical Center has cleared environmental hurdles and is set to move forward following unanimous approval Thursday night by City Council.

City sign-off on the project's Environmental Impact Report, zoning changes, plot plan, and conditional use permit to relocate Inland Valley's helipad at the campus, paves the way for construction of a new seven-story, 290,000-square-foot hospital tower that will accommodate 202 beds at the 36485 Inland Valley Drive site.

The Wildomar Planning Commission approved the project to proceed to City Council at its May 18 meeting.

"Inland Valley Medical Center is a tremendous asset as the only trauma center in Southwest Riverside County," Wildomar Mayor Ben Benoit said. "The $333 million investment they are making into the city of Wildomar will greatly benefit the region not only with improved healthcare services, but 220 full-time equivalent jobs and a myriad of economic development benefits for our city and the region as a whole."

Inland Valley is part of the Southwest Healthcare System, which falls under the Pennsylvania-based Universal Health Services umbrella. UHS has also committed to a large-scale expansion at its Rancho Springs Medical Center in Murrieta. Temecula Valley Hospital, which is also owned and operated by a subsidiary of Universal Health Services, is planned to undergo a massive expansion as well.

The financial investments in the expansion projects are the largest to date in Southwest Riverside County by UHC.

Once complete, the expanded Inland Valley Medical Center, which first opened in 1987, will "change the landscape of healthcare here," Southwest Healthcare System CEO Jared Giles said during a project unveiling in October.

The Wildomar hospital is the region's only Level II American College of Surgeons Verified Trauma Center.

“This is a very important expansion for our city and the region,” said Kim Strong, Wildomar Planning Commission Chair. “We are very pleased this is moving forward.”

The expansions and renovations at both Inland Valley and Rancho Springs are projected to be completed in phases over the next two to five years. Both campuses will remain open for patient care with minimal disruption, hospital officials said.