Kaiser Permanente pays $31.5M to buy land near former Turner Field
One of the country’s largest health care providers has paid top dollar to acquire land south of downtown Atlanta for a future development project.
Kaiser Permanente announced Monday it bought a 7-acre site in Summerhill near Center Parc Stadium, which was formerly Turner Field and home of the Atlanta Braves. The health care giant paid $31.5 million for the land, which the nonprofit said “represents a long-term investment in one of Atlanta’s most culturally significant and rapidly evolving neighborhoods.”
The Oakland, California-based health care firm did not disclose what it plans to build on the property, which is just north of the Summerhill Publix off Hank Aaron Drive. Kaiser Permanente said the land “could be used for a variety of purposes to improve access to care,” adding that it will evaluate options and collect neighborhood feedback.
“Kaiser Permanente will engage in a deliberate planning process before finalizing development plans for the site,” the nonprofit said in a statement to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “Community engagement will be a central part of that process, with opportunities for input and dialogue as plans evolve.”
Kevin McClelland, a Kaiser Permanente spokesperson, said he’s unsure if a hospital could be in the works, saying, “I don’t know. To be honest, I don’t think anybody knows yet.”
At least one consultant said that what’s coming is likely a multi-specialty cluster of outpatient doctors and imaging services, not a hospital.
In Georgia, “they always open a multi-specialty clinic,” said Rob Levy, an Atlanta-based health business adviser and owner of Kayton Consulting. “That’s their model. It’s a great model.”
“As much as they would like to own a hospital, where they own a hospital, it becomes a cost center, not a profit center,” Levy said.
One key to the plans is Kaiser Permanente’s business model. Kaiser is a nonprofit organization that both insures people and treats them. That means that usually, people who walk in the door are not going to lose them money. Kaiser does see some groups of patients with other insurance, such as children with Medicaid.
If Kaiser were to open a hospital with an emergency room, like they have in states such as California, they would be obligated to treat anyone who walks in the door, regardless of ability to pay.
Atlanta leadership has clamored for a new hospital, particularly a trauma emergency room, since Wellstar Health System abruptly closed Atlanta Medical Center in 2022. Months earlier, Wellstar also closed the ER of Atlanta Medical Center-South in the city of East Point.
Kaiser Permanente’s land acquisition comes on the heels of Atrium Health quietly purchasing 40 acres of land just south of I-20 for nearly $70 million in 2024.
The Charlotte-based hospital operator, which has partnered with Morehouse School of Medicine elsewhere in Atlanta to run a clinic, has not disclosed why it bought the land. The site is currently occupied by MET Atlanta, a former warehouse redeveloped into a group of offices, production studios and galleries designed to draw creative workers.
The AJC in October also found Atlanta leaders were planning an $800 million health venture called Project Robin, an effort Mayor Andre Dickens aims to finance through his tax allocation district expansion campaign. Two people familiar with the proposal, who were not authorized to speak publicly, told the AJC the project includes a new hospital campus with community health clinics. Its location was not disclosed, aside from it being within the Beltline TAD.
Kaiser Permanente’s land purchase joins a rapidly redeveloping Summerhill neighborhood, an effort led by Georgia State University’s acquisition of Turner Field and developer Carter’s projects.
“This investment reflects our belief that strong communities are essential to good health,” Corwin Harper, regional president of Kaiser Permanente in Georgia, said in a news release. “We are committed to being a thoughtful, collaborative partner in Summerhill as we look toward future development that supports well-being, access, and opportunity.”
About the Authors
Zachary Hansen, a Georgia native, covers economic development and commercial real estate for the AJC. He's been with the newspaper since 2018 and enjoys diving into complex stories that affect people's lives.
Ariel Hart is a reporter on health care issues. She works on the AJC’s health team and has reported on subjects including the Voting Rights Act and transportation.
