image: A rendering of the future Huntsman Cancer Institute in Vineyard.
Credit: Huntsman Cancer Institute/Architectural Nexus
Huntsman Cancer Institute at the University of Utah (the U) broke ground on its second Comprehensive Cancer Center on Tuesday, April 8, advancing construction of a new facility wholly dedicated to delivering prevention, hope, and healing to cancer patients. Situated in Vineyard, in the heart of Utah County, the Huntsman Cancer Institute site will reduce travel time by more than an hour each way for thousands of patients. The new facility will expand capacity for research, care, education, and training that are needed as the state of Utah and the surrounding region experience significant population growth.
“Twenty-five years ago, on what was once an empty hillside, Jon M. and Karen Huntsman had a vision to build a Comprehensive Cancer Center with unparalleled care and state-of-the-art science. Today, we are proud to be embarking on the next phase of that journey,” says Mary Beckerle, PhD, chief executive officer of Huntsman Cancer Institute. “At our new location in Vineyard, we will bring comprehensive cancer care closer to the communities we serve, will advance innovative cancer research, will train the next generation of scientists and health workers, and will support our communities to live the healthiest lives possible—all the while working to eradicate cancer from the face of the earth.”
More than 450 guests attended the celebration, including Utah County patients, donors, state and local representatives, members of the community, students, and Huntsman Cancer Institute clinicians, scientists, and staff. The event was held adjacent to the future home of the Huntsman Cancer Institute Comprehensive Cancer Center in Vineyard, close to Utah Lake in the heart of Utah County. Site work began in November 2024 to prepare the land for utilities, roads, and other necessary infrastructure. The groundbreaking ceremony marks the next step in advancing vertical construction on the site.
Huntsman Cancer Institute chose Vineyard for this location to ease the travel burden for patients in central and southern portions of the state. Last year, more than 40,000 patient visits from Utah County and adjacent areas were hosted by Huntsman Cancer Institute. The journey these patients made and the services they accessed were utilized to inform the clinical programs offered in Phase 1A of Huntsman Cancer Institute Vineyard. These will include multidisciplinary cancer clinics, radiation oncology, comprehensive cancer imaging, endoscopy, infusion and pharmacy, wellness and integrative health, screening and early detection, and an acute care clinic.
“The Vineyard location represents the seamless integration of world-class research and compassionate clinical care,” says Bob Carter, MD, PhD, CEO of University of Utah Health, and senior vice president for health sciences. “Every breakthrough fuels better treatments, every innovation brings new possibilities, and every patient remains at the heart of our mission—reaffirming our place as a top-tier academic medical center dedicated to saving lives.”
Research and innovation are the signature strengths of Huntsman Cancer Institute, and the Vineyard location will offer access to clinical trials, computational science and data analytics programs that harness the power of AI in cancer discovery, student training with Utah Valley University and Brigham Young University, and new mechanisms to treat and prevent cancer for people living in communities far from a major medical center.
“At the University of Utah, the research isn’t just part of our mission—it’s the engine that drives transformative change,” says University of Utah President Taylor Randall. "The new Huntsman Cancer Institute in Vineyard represents a bold step toward realizing a future where cancer will be a thing of the past. By expanding access to cutting-edge cancer care and research, especially for patients in Utah’s rural and frontier communities, we’re delivering on our promise to improve lives across the state and beyond.”
Andrea and James Clarke, community leaders and long-standing supporters of Brigham Young University, Utah Valley University, and the U, are among those lending their support for this project, which was referred to as “Project Unite” in early planning days in reference to the aspiration to bring together people and organizations from across the state to work together in advancing cancer innovations in Utah.
“Project Unite is a great description of the collaboration between Huntsman Cancer Institute at the University of Utah, Utah Valley University, and Brigham Young University that will come to life with the new Huntsman Cancer Institute Vineyard location,” say Andrea and James Clarke. “As alumni, donors, and trustees of these amazing institutions, we’re proud to support this transformational project that will advance cancer research, provide top-notch training for future health care professionals, and offer world-class care to Utah residents and the greater Mountain West.”
Huntsman Cancer Institute is the only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center in the Mountain West and provides specialized cancer care for patients from Utah, Nevada, Montana, Wyoming, and Idaho. The region is growing rapidly, and the need to ensure residents of communities across Utah and the larger Mountain West access to treatment was an important factor in the decision to develop a second Comprehensive Cancer Center site.
“Utah is leading the way in better health and outcomes, and I have every confidence the insights gained right here in Utah, at Huntsman Cancer Institute, will impact cancer care worldwide,” says Utah Governor Spencer Cox. “This new investment by Huntsman Cancer Institute in Vineyard is responsive to both the needs of our growing communities and will enhance lifesaving insights and innovations that will transform health here at home and around the world."
The total cost of the Huntsman Cancer Institute Vineyard Phase 1A facility and site development is $400 million with additional programmatic investment. This is the largest single investment in the history of Huntsman Cancer Institute. The project was catalyzed in June 2023 thanks to a lead matching gift of $75 million from the Huntsman Family Foundation. It was soon followed by transformational gifts and contributions from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the State of Utah, Flagship Companies, and Woodbury Corporation.
As of the groundbreaking, 75% of the funding for the new facility has been secured. Huntsman Cancer Foundation is confident that their passionate community of donors will help complete the needed funding.
“My parents invested in improving cancer outcomes by funding the Huntsman Cancer Institute 30 years ago,” says Peter Huntsman, chairman and CEO of the Huntsman Cancer Foundation. “Huntsman Cancer Institute’s vision in the new fields of research, such as DNA and immunotherapies, will help change cancer outcomes for a generation. Today, we make the investment that will shape the next generation of care and research and hopefully bring an end to cancer.”
Other founding supporters to date include the David and Tawnya Bearss Family, Bertin Family Foundation, Andrea and James Clarke, Clyde Companies, the Kahlert Foundation, Robert and Susan Kimsey, Julie M. and David S. Layton Foundation, John and Stacy Lippert, and the Dave and Rachel Weidman Family.
“Our support for the new Huntsman Cancer Institute in Vineyard is deeply personal to our family. I lost both my mother and grandfather to colon cancer both at a young age, and my father-in-law also passed away from cancer,” says founding donor David Bearss. “This gift from our family is a tribute to their lives and a commitment to a future where fewer families face the heartbreak of cancer. We are proud to support world-class cancer research and care right here in Utah.”
Huntsman Cancer Institute’s Comprehensive Cancer Center in Vineyard will open to patients in fall 2028. Layton Construction was selected as the contractor on the 272,000-square-foot facility, which was designed by Architectural Nexus, alongside campus design and landscape architecture partner Sasaki. The facility is located within the Utah City development in Vineyard, Utah.
About Huntsman Cancer Institute at the University of Utah
Huntsman Cancer Institute at the University of Utah is the National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center for Utah, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, and Wyoming. With a legacy of innovative cancer research, groundbreaking discoveries, and world-class patient care, we are transforming the way cancer is understood, prevented, diagnosed, treated, and survived. Huntsman Cancer Institute focuses on delivering the most advanced cancer healing and prevention through scientific breakthroughs and cutting-edge technology to advance cancer treatments of the future beyond the standard of care today. We have more than 300 open clinical trials and 250 research teams studying cancer. More genes for inherited cancers have been discovered at Huntsman Cancer Institute than at any other cancer center. Our scientists are world-renowned for understanding how cancer begins and using that knowledge to develop innovative approaches to treat each patient’s unique disease. Huntsman Cancer Institute was founded by Jon M. and Karen Huntsman.