Photo credit: The Beacon

What happened: Construction continues on The Beacon‘s behavioral health campus near Loop 191. As work progresses, CEO Russell Meyers spoke with The Permian Press about why the project was created, the long-term vision for the campus, and why Permian Basin business leaders believed it was needed.

Catch up quick: The Beacon is a planned regional medical campus designed to expand behavioral health and other specialty medical services across West Texas. The project received $123 million in state funding, including support from Gov. Greg Abbott, as well as private donations. Construction began in November 2023 on land donated for the project.

The big picture: Meyers said the project grew out of discussions within the Permian Strategic Partnership, a coalition of roughly 30 oil and gas companies and service providers. Those conversations eventually led to the creation of the nonprofit Permian Basin Medical Center Corporation, which now oversees development of The Beacon campus.

Midland’s top stories. One quick email. Free, every Friday.
Get Midland Wrapped, our free weekly email for busy Midland residents. Each Friday, we break down the week’s most important local stories — what happened, why it matters, and what to watch next — so you can stay informed without the noise.

“All 30 [businesses] came together around the idea that the Permian basin is essentially the energy capital of the United States, and if not the world,” Meyers said. “In order for the companies to thrive here at the level that we needed, they’re going to have to improve their workforce.”

Meyers said the coalition concluded the region needed more specialty healthcare to attract and retain workers.

Go deeper: Meyers said the Behavioral Health Center remains the project’s highest priority, saying behavioral health consistently ranks among the community’s greatest healthcare requests. However, he said they intend to grow the campus into a regional medical hub that brings additional healthcare services and specialists to West Texas over time.

“Our primary mission with the project is to bring healthcare more available to the public,” Meyers said.

He said that the mission includes expanding access across the broader region while complementing, not competing with, existing healthcare providers in Midland.

What’s next: Meyers said construction crews are currently building a park, three major access roads, and the necessary utilities for the Behavioral Health Center. He expects development to continue over the next several years as additional medical facilities are added.