By Joey Chenoweth | Pinal Central
There was plenty of joy, pride and astonishment in Eloy on Oct. 30 as the city officially welcomed its first hospital, and everything it might mean for the future.
While Exceptional Community Hospital had already been open for about six weeks, including a tour in the first days for city leaders, there hadn’t been a chance to celebrate that momentous development for the city. The company leadership flew into town, and elected officials gathered in front of the building for a ribbon cutting ceremony. Then, everyone headed to City Hall, which had been decorated for the occasion, to hear from some of the key figures involved.
“This is Eloy history,” said Mayor Andrew Sutton. “I’m so excited to be here today as we open a new chapter for Eloy.”
Sutton recalled when he first joined the City Council in 2023 and then-Mayor Micah Powell showed him the initial plans for the hospital just off Interstate 10 at the Sunshine Boulevard exit. While that was still just in the talking stages at the time, city officials discussed how much of a “game-changer” this would be for Eloy. Now, it’s a reality and he said those words are truer than ever.
