The Tallahassee City Commission voted 3–2 on Wednesday night to move forward with the proposed sale of Tallahassee Memorial Hospital to Florida State University, a significant step toward creating a new academic health center that has been years in the making.
The decision, though not final, advances a closely watched plan that would shift control of the city’s largest hospital, and its more than $1 billion in assets, to FSU. The measure passed after extensive discussion over governance and future representation, including guaranteed seats for FAMU and Tallahassee State College (TSC) on the hospital’s governing board.
Under a Memorandum of Understanding between the city and FSU, the university would gradually gain more seats on the board over time, though TMH would retain majority control. FAMU and TSC would each receive one permanent seat.
FSU President Richard McCullough sought to ease concerns about the influence of other institutions, noting that while FSU would have final say over FAMU’s board nominee, the intent was collaborative.
“We could refuse to appoint whoever FAMU recommends, but that’s not the spirit of the agreement,” McCullough said during the meeting.
The sale price has not yet been determined and remains subject to negotiation. Another vote will be scheduled once financial terms and final board composition are settled.
The proposal culminates several years of private negotiations between city officials and FSU that first became public less than three months ago. Supporters say the merger would elevate medical training, research, and health care delivery in North Florida. Critics, including the two commissioners who voted no, expressed concerns over public oversight and the long-term implications of transferring a public asset to a university-affiliated entity.
“This is about more than a transaction — it’s about the future of health care in our community,” said Mayor John Dailey, who voted in favor. “We are ensuring that our hospital remains a public resource while expanding its mission.”
If approved in the final vote, the new structure would establish one of Florida’s few integrated academic health centers, a model supporters argue could attract top medical talent and increase access to specialized care.
The hospital’s current leadership and FSU’s medical program have worked increasingly closely in recent years, though the proposed merger would formalize and deepen that relationship.