Emergency meeting helps Brunswick Co. close old hospital sale

BRUNSWICK COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — The Brunswick County Commission called an emergency meeting for noon today to discuss the sale of the old Brunswick Community Hospital property in Supply.

County Attorney Huey Marshall said the meeting was called after the title insurance company for the buyer of the property asked for a pre-declaration from commissioners as part of the process the insurer needs to protect its interest and convey a free and clear title to the buyer. Marshall said before the meeting that he believed that had already been done and did not think commissioners really needed to have the meeting, but he said he’s willing to do what it takes to finalize the sale of the property, where the hospital has sat empty for years.

“I’m willing to jump through the hoops to get this done,” Marshall told WWAY by phone this afternoon.

Commissioners jumped through that hoop when they unanimously approved a resolution to sell the property to Center Development Company II, LLC, which was formerly known as Excel Medical Development Group, LLC. That sale was negotiated via an upset bid in September 2013. Marshall said the sale price is $750,000, and the buyer has already paid a deposit of $37,500. Center Development’s option on the property expires Tuesday, and the sale was scheduled to close today.

Marshall said one of the issues was a state law that requires the buyer of a hospital to use run the facility as it was previously being used or it reverts back to county control. Marshall said he believed that was not an issue, because the old hospital currently sits vacant, and the buyer can do what it pleases. To help facilitate this and get the sale done, the resolution includes a wavier of any rights the county may have on the property moving forward under that law.

Following the approval of the resolution, Commission Chair Scott Phillips was scheduled to sign the deed and necessary paperwork this afternoon to close the sale.

The old hospital on US 17 has been empty since Brunswick Novant Medical Center opened in July 2011 three miles up the road. Since then the county has struggled to sell the property, which has been used on occasion during its vacancy as a location for movies and TV shows, including “Revolution” and “Under the Dome.”