Construction on a multimillion-dollar proton cancer center was supposed to be finished by the end of 2019, but more than two years since being announced there’s still no word on when the development will break ground or where it will be located.
Despite the lack of updates, Steven Ceulemans, executive director of the Baton Rouge Health District, says the project is still pending.
“It’s still an active project,” Ceulemans says, “but there’s nothing I can share right now.”
In 2017, the Baton Rouge-based nonprofit Provident Resources Group announced that a $85 million proton therapy cancer center would be built in the Baton Rouge Health District, with multiple area hospitals acting as clinical partners. At the time, the center was lauded by many as a way to brand the district as a cancer treatment destination, but a month after the announcement one of its clinical partners, Baton Rouge General Medical Center, left the project.
Last year, the project was delayed and downsized to a $50 million, one-room unit. Steve Hicks, CEO of Provident Resources Group, was unable to be reached before this morning’s deadline for more information, but previously told Business Report that there are two forces working against it: Rising interest rates driving up the cost of borrowing cash for the project and low insurance reimbursement rates for treatment.
The reimbursement landscape is evolving, Ceulemans says, adding that ongoing market evaluations are being conducted to ensure the development of the center and services offered are in line with medical care opportunities, as well as in line to be reimbursed.
State economic development officials offered the proton center an incentive package that included $1 million in performance-based grants, payable in five annual installments beginning in 2021.
