The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has officially taken ownership of Tulsa’s new hospital, marking a major milestone in a project years in the making.
Oklahoma State University’s Center for Health Sciences transferred control to the VA during a Veterans Day “turning over the keys” ceremony. The James Mountain Inhofe VA Medical Center is named for the late Oklahoma senator and former Tulsa mayor, who was widely known for his strong support of the military and veterans.
The 273,000-square-foot facility, located in downtown Tulsa’s old Kerr and Edmonson office buildings, will include 58 hospital beds and modern amenities for veteran care. The project was made possible through a partnership among the Department of Veterans Affairs, OSU, and the Anne and Henry Zarrow Foundation, with $25 million in private donations supporting construction.
Veterans Hospital in Tulsa, or VHiT, the nonprofit organization that led building efforts, estimates there are more than 65,000 veterans living in the Tulsa area.
“We're bringing it to where they are so they don't have to travel,” said Kimberly Denning, medical center director for the Eastern Oklahoma VA Healthcare System. “Being right next to OSU is going to help us partner with them so that we can bring more specialty care to better serve our veterans.”
OSU Health Sciences President Johnny Stephens said the collaboration between OSU and the VA will strengthen both institutions.
“This is a tremendous opportunity for partnership with more joint hires,” Stephens said. “It’s an increased amount of care for the Veterans Administration as well.”
U.S. Sen. James Lankford said his late colleague would have enjoyed the Veterans Day ceremony.
The Tulsa hospital is only the second in the nation built under the federal CHIP-IN Act, legislation Inhofe supported to allow public-private partnerships to accelerate construction of veterans’ medical facilities.
Gov. Kevin Stitt called the ceremony a moment of “gratitude and momentum.”
He said it honored veterans and Inhofe’s legacy while marking progress for Oklahoma’s future in health care and innovation.
The James Mountain Inhofe VA Medical Center is expected to open in late spring 2026.
