Central Health considers new leases

The Central Health Board of Managers met Wednesday evening in closed session with their lawyers to discuss the two final major lease agreements for the new Seton Medical Center teaching hospital. The hospital will be replacing the Central Health-owned University Medical Center-Brackenridge, which is currently operated by Seton. Central Health will continue to lease the hospital’s land from the University of Texas and will then sublease the grounds to Seton to build and operate the facility. Under the agreements, Seton will pay monthly rent starting at $72,000 directly to the university, although Central Health as intermediary between the two will also be responsible if Seton defaults on rent, or any other part of the agreements. The board will vote on the two agreements at its regularly scheduled meeting Oct. 15. Both the University of Texas and Seton have already approved the agreements. Groundbreaking on the new facility will take place after the leases are approved.