Business View Civil and Municipal | Volume 2, Issue 9

140 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 2, ISSUE 9 cool, clean air in the summer, the low humidity,” Hudspeth notes. “They arrive here on Memorial Day and stay until the leaves fall off the trees – and then they leave and go back to those warmer climates. They were really grateful during COVID to get away from those urban areas, to feel safer, and socially distance. It was a tremendous benefit for our communities.” Appalachian Regional Healthcare System has been working hard to make significant changes to help support the growth in new residents and tourism. That involves a $126 million investment into improvements at the 60-year- old Watauga Medical Center, which will include an expansion of the campus and a new 48- bed tower as its centerpiece. The Appalachian Regional Healthcare System has also introduced significant investment to the county’s other healthcare arenas, including funding for chronic diseases, the regional comprehensive cancer center, diabetes management, and updating their