Knoxville Expo Center expected to be alternative healthcare center

On Friday, Governor Bill Lee spoke to local Knoxville leaders to move forward with a plan for alternative healthcare centers.

State and local officials were working with the Army Corps of Engineers to turn sites into alternative healthcare facilities in the wake of COVID-19.

The new centers would deal with the "possible surge" in COVID-19 cases.

The Knoxville Expo Center is one of them, the governor said during a press briefing.

"Today we met with leaders to talk about using the Knoxville Expo Center to provide more beds," said Lee "part of what we're trying to do is expand bed capacity across the state and we will require 7,000 more beds statewide."

The Music City Center in Nashville will be turned into a COVID-19 patient facility for those who need care but "not critical care," Lee said.

The Gateway Shopping Center in Memphis is set to become an alternative healthcare as well.