Sarasota Memorial Health Care System is planning a significant expansion into Manatee County after its governing board approved a nearly $60 million plan to purchase approximately 120 acres near State Road 64 and Interstate 75.
The Sarasota County Public Hospital Board approved the proposed purchase on Tuesday, Sept. 22. The undeveloped property is located east of I-75 along the rapidly growing SR 64 corridor and could eventually become the site of a full-service medical campus.
The purchase remains contingent on Sarasota Memorial working with Manatee County officials and community leaders on rezoning and other development approvals.
The health system received separate approval in July to acquire an additional 10-acre parcel adjacent to the larger property. That site has direct access to SR 64 and could become the first portion of the campus to be developed.
If the necessary government and site-development approvals are obtained, Sarasota Memorial plans to consider a freestanding emergency department on the 10-acre property as the first phase.
Future development could add primary and specialty physician offices, pediatric specialty care, imaging, laboratory and diagnostic services, along with other medical facilities. Those services could ultimately support the development of a full-service hospital campus.
The expansion plans come as Manatee County and the surrounding region continue to experience population growth. Sarasota Memorial projects the combined population of Manatee, Sarasota, Charlotte and DeSoto counties will increase from approximately 1.2 million residents to nearly 1.8 million over the next 25 years, with Manatee County expected to lead growth within the health system’s primary service area.
Manatee County residents already represent a significant portion of Sarasota Memorial’s patients. The health system reported serving more than 185,000 Manatee County residents in 2025, accounting for approximately 25% of its total patient volume.
Sarasota Memorial also operates an outpatient facility at Heritage Harbour, where patient volume has more than doubled since 2020.
Health system officials said expanding services in Manatee County could provide residents with additional options closer to home while reducing pressure on Sarasota Memorial’s Sarasota campus, where hospital beds, emergency services, parking and other resources frequently operate at or near capacity.
Sarasota Memorial said facilities developed outside Sarasota County would be funded through operating revenue and designed to be financially self-sustaining.
The proposed Manatee County campus remains in the early planning stages. No timeline has been announced for rezoning, construction or the opening of the first facilities.
