Valley Children’s buys 277 acres in Madera County for future growth

Valley Children’s Healthcare has bought 277 acres of land in Madera County for $107 million, giving the pediatric health system a much larger cushion for future growth next to its campus off Highway 41.

The land, acquired in March 2026 through the purchase of Gunner Ranch, Inc., sits adjacent to Valley Children’s existing campus and is fully approved for future development. With the new parcel, the hospital said its campus footprint now tops 700 acres in Madera County, creating room for long-range planning that is still in its early stages.

Valley Children’s said the deal is designed to strengthen long-term financial stability by creating diversified revenue and preserving resources for patient care, programs and services. President and CEO Todd Suntrapak said the acquisition fits into the hospital’s long-term financial stewardship and campus strategy. He also pointed to the system’s payer mix, saying three out of every four Valley Children’s patients rely on Medi-Cal, which leaves the hospital exposed to reimbursement pressure.

The purchase also extends a relationship that dates back more than three decades. In 1993, Richard and Mimi Gunner donated the original parcel of land where Valley Children’s built its campus. Richard Gunner said the new chapter builds on that original gift, tying the hospital’s latest land deal to its founding footprint in Madera County.

The new acreage adds to a broader development vision Valley Children’s unveiled in August 2024 under the name The Hill. That plan laid out a 220-acre mixed-use project on the hospital’s 443-acre main campus, with healthcare, housing, retail, recreation, office space and hospitality. The hospital said revenue from that development would help support operations and patient care, while also bringing new spending, tax revenue and tourism to Madera County.

Madera County leaders have also signaled support for the hospital’s growth strategy. Madera County Board of Supervisors Chair Rob Poythress previously backed the broader concept, saying it could expand revenue for the hospital while supporting employees and residents.

For Fresno County families and others across the Central Valley who depend on Valley Children’s for pediatric care, the purchase marks a major land and financial move with long-term implications. The hospital has not laid out a construction timeline, but the addition of 277 approved acres gives it far more room to expand specialty services, clinical facilities and the infrastructure that keeps children’s care rooted in the valley.