More than $145 million in funding has been approved for the new UT Health RGV Cancer and Surgery Center, according to a news release from UTRGV.

Development plans have been approved for the three-story center that will be located on the UTRGV McAllen Academic Medical Campus, on the south side of Pecan Boulevard between Jackson and McColl roads, within the 495 Commerce Center development. 

The center will include a radiation oncology clinic, a medical oncology clinic, a diagnostic imaging suite, rehabilitation therapy, an ambulatory surgery center and an orthopedics center. 

The $145,723,401 in funding will come from the Permanent University Fund, Tuition Revenue Bond, and other funding and gifts, including a recent $1 million donation from the city of McAllen towards this project. 

The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center will provide oncology advisory services to the center to develop and launch the program.

"This is tremendous news for us, as it will serve the student and patient care needs in the region by providing first-class multidisciplinary education, research and clinical services," Dean of UTRGV School of Medicine Michael Hocker said. "We are looking forward to providing opportunities to expand cancer research and healthcare in the Valley, as our area has a higher rate of many cancers, with the majority in advanced stages at initial detection."

Construction has not started, but UTRGV is hoping to break ground in September.

The estimated completion date is early 2025.