Med mart adds fistful of leases

On the heels of negative rumblings in the media over the last couple of weeks, the developers of the Nashville Medical Trade Center on Friday announced they have signed a cadre of exhibitors and taken a big step in preparing the financing package for the project.

Market Center Management Co. has, in addition to other lessees who wish for now to remain anonymous, signed leases with the following companies:

• Informatics Corp. of America, the locally based company helping build health insurance exchanges around the country
• The SSI Group, which also operates in the health care IT space
• Humanscale, which provides ergonomic work tools for the health care industry
• ergoCentric, which will exhibit medical grade seating
• V Alexander, a supply chain manager
• Remind America, a HIPAA-complaint physician reminder service.

Dallas-based Market Center also has engaged Lattimore Black Morgan & Cain to “advance final plans for the financing package and structure while the company continues to finalize agreements and develops additional services and plans for health care trade events.”

Market Center officials have maintained throughout their long ramp-up process that many tenants want to remain anonymous for competitive reasons. Similarly, the recession forced a number of prospects to hold off on any commitments.

“Companies have had the time to recognize the cost benefits and business opportunities of a center of innovation attracting visitors from around the world, “ said Market Center CEO Bill Winsor. “As the economy continues to warm up, we will add a significant number of new companies and organizations as well as announce companies with existing leases.”

The new lessees will join tenants such as the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society, which will bring with it about 100 companies — ICA being one — to simulate a hospital’s complete IT infrastructure. ICA’s newly announced lease is in addition to its HIMSS presence.