Sanford leaving estate to merged health system if headquarters are in Sioux Falls

February 14, 2023

MINNEAPOLIS – A $500-million capital investment in Minnesota facilities where Fairview operates are among provisions in a letter of intent from last September that Sanford Health and Fairview Health Systems has released.

The CEO’s of both systems say benefactor Denny Sanford has pledged to make a merged health system the primary beneficiary of his estate, if among other conditions, the headquarters are in Sioux Falls. That intention is also contained in a letter to Minnesota lawmakers.

University of Minnesota officials warned earlier that a merger would put control of a public asset, the University of Minnesota’s teaching hospital in Minneapolis, under corporate control in South Dakota.