Alice Walton’s AWSOM Whole Health Campus broke ground in Bentonville, Arkansas, after seven years of planning. The $750 million project includes a 250-bed hospital and cancer center, with the goal of expanding specialty care in Arkansas.
Walton has promised $350 million from her foundation; Mercer is contributing $350 million, while Tyson Foods and the Tyson Family Foundation will add $50 million. The funds will pay for facilities and doctor recruitment. The first building, focused on cardiac care in affiliation with the Cleveland Clinic, is slated to open in 2029.
Walton says she envisions a “hub-and-spoke” model to extend specialized care to rural communities. She cited a 2019 study showing that residents in northwest Arkansas spend nearly $1 billion a year to obtain specialty care elsewhere.
