SACRAMENTO, Calif.– Sleep Train Arena, the stadium owned by the Sacramento Kings has been transformed into a hospital for COVID-19 patients. 

Gigi Fergus, CEO of the Sleep Train Arena Care Facility, says hundreds of medical beds have been set up to turn the arena into a fully functional hospital. Fergus has spent the last 12 years working in hospitals all across America.

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“I am a nurse by training, so the care of the patient is first and foremost in my mind and is really the real goal,” said Fergus.

Within Sleep Train Arena, the training facility has 75 medical beds available to treat COVID-19 patients. The arena floor has 125 medical beds and will be used to care for people who are suspected of having the virus. Fergus says it’s important to separate presumed patients with symptoms from the known positive group.

Over 300 medical professionals will be working at Sleep Train Arena. Nurses and doctors are coming to help from all over California.

“We have people that are new in their career, people who are retired, we have a broad mix...the one thing that brings them all together is that they all have this desire to give back and take care of these patients,” said Fergus. 

Patients will be transferred to the new field hospital at Sleep Train Arena if surrounding medical facilities have a surge in COVID-19 patients.

Fergus says she is thankful for everyone involved.

“Cal HHS, we’re working with all state agencies, we’re all working in collaboration to pull this event off,” said Fergus. 

It took two weeks for the hospital to be built. As of the morning of April 20, the facility is now up and running. Fergus admits she doesn’t know what to expect in the coming days and weeks, but she does know that she and her staff are prepared. 

“Regardless if they come or not, we’ll be ready,” Fergus says. 

Fergus appreciates the partnership with the Sacramento Kings and how through teamwork they have come together to turn a basketball arena into an emergency hospital.