Banner Ironwood tells Queen Creek council it will add 30,000 sq ft, cath lab and expand ER to 49 beds

Banner Ironwood Medical Center will add approximately 30,000 square feet to its Queen Creek campus, expand emergency department capacity and build a cardiac catheterization lab, the hospital’s CEO told the Town Council.

Brian Keller, CEO of Banner Ironwood Medical Center, said the expansion will increase the emergency department from the current 34 beds by about 15 additional beds (to 49), add roughly 10,000 square feet for ED expansion and about 1,000 square feet for an expanded waiting area, and increase ED‑adjacent parking by about 80 spaces. Keller said the project will include a cardiac catheterization lab and shell space for a second lab and additional imaging suites; it will require hiring dozens of clinical and support staff, including cardiologists and cath‑lab nurses and technicians.

Why it matters: The expansion would bring more emergency and routine cardiac services to the Queen Creek area so that residents no longer need transport outside the community for those services, according to Keller. He said the hospital expects to begin design and permitting in roughly six months and anticipates completion in early 2027 while keeping the existing ED in operation during construction.

Keller said Banner had finished the initially shelled space from the 2010 opening and wanted the council to hear about the expansion before permit filings. He emphasized local hiring and the addition of specialty clinical services. Council members and the mayor thanked Keller for the update and expressed interest in future renderings and a ribbon‑cutting.

No formal action was taken; the item was an informational update from an outside organization.