New hospital starts to rise in Muskogee, Okla.

May 5--A spokesman for a new hospital under construction said it will succeed despite political roadblocks.

Mark Roberts, president of Muskogee Community Hospital, said city leaders have continued creating new rules and refusing to approve plans.

"A certificate of need was put in place to stop us," he said. "We're not trying to make waves, just better health care."

Roberts said the location was moved twice as a result of complications dealing with the city. The final location is just outside city limits at North Main Street and Harris Road, the site of the former Bacone College rodeo grounds.

Mayor Wren Stratton said the city wanted MCH backers to do a study establishing the need for a second hospital and its long-term impact.

"It doesn't matter my opinion, nor does it matter Mark Roberts' opinion; what matters are the facts," she said. "Unfortunately, they circumvented needing to provide those (when they moved outside city limits). A facility with that many inpatient beds needs to be able to justify that this community can support them."

Betty Pace, in her 70s, said she believes there may be a need for another hospital.