The Culinary Union broke ground on its fourth health center for members and their families, offering no fees or prescription costs for services.
Located at 4805 W. Tropicana Ave., the new Culinary Health Center – Tropicana will serve all members and family members of Culinary Local 226 and Bartenders Local 165.
“This is a one-site health center, and it’s a comprehensive health center,” Ted Pappageorge, secretary and treasurer of the union, said at Thursday morning’s groundbreaking. “It’s an investment in the future of our members, of their families, of health care in Southern Nevada, and we’re very proud to be a part of it.”
The estimated cost of the health center is between $90 million and $100 million, which is paid for through union contracts with companies. It is expected to open in 2026.
These contracts require the companies to pay in full for the best health care, the Culinary Health Plan, says Pappageorge. “It’s administered by the Culinary Health Fund, those funds, along with our Culinary Pension Plan have invested in these health centers.”
At 96,800 square feet and two stories, the new center will include 43 primary care rooms; three mental health counseling rooms; 15 dental care rooms; 18 physical therapy, acupuncture and chiropractic evaluation rooms included; x-ray, ultrasound, CT and bone density tests; as well as a two-lane drive-through pharmacy.
In addition, health classes will be taught, educating patients on diabetes, high blood pressure and breastfeeding, among other things.
The center will employ about 200, including doctors, dentists, pharmacists, nurses and medical assistants. The University of Southern California Keck Medical Center, Nevada Dental Benefits, OptumRx, Life Radiology, Clinical Pathology and the Cooperative Association of Chiropractic Physicians, as well as the Culinary Health Fund, are all medical partners for the facility.
This location is the closest medical center to the Strip, home to nearly 32,000 Culinary members. The other two locations are off Nellis Boulevard and Durango Drive, and their Craig Road location will open in April.
The association has approximately 60,000 members, with 120,000 to 130,000 family members who can benefit from all health centers.
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