Tennessee’s Veterans Home Board planned to announce on Tuesday the acquisition of an Arlington site for the long-anticipated West Tennessee Veterans Home. At press time, the announcement had not yet been released.
The facility will have 144 beds, offer nursing and rehab therapy, and provide long-term care if needed. It will be built on about 28 acres of land formerly occupied by the Intellectual and Develop-mental Disabilities Center.
Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam has already approved the land transfer to the Department of Veteran Services.
Sen. Mark Norris (R-Collierville), said, “These men and women, our veterans, served all of us as though we were worth dying for. So let us demonstrate here and now that we are worth living for too. Let us finish the task so that they may live with dignity. It’s the least we can do for them. And you know what? We will.”
The $72 million construction project is expected to generate more than 240 full-time jobs with an annual payroll of more than $7 million.
Thirty-five percent of the cost must be raised locally for construction and the first year of operation. Donations are within about $8 million of the local goal. See updates at veterans-home.com.
