U-M Board of Regents approves construction of Nathan and Catherine Forbes Sports Medicine Institute

ANN ARBOR, Mich. –   The University of Michigan Board of Regents has authorized the Nathan and Catherine Forbes Sports Medicine Institute project, clearing the way for a 100,000-square-foot facility that will serve as the hub of University of Michigan Health’s growing statewide sports medicine network.

The three-level facility will be built at the site of the former Wolverine Tower at the corner of State Street and Eisenhower Parkway in south Ann Arbor. Near the Stephen M. Ross Athletic Campus, the location will connect the institute with U-M Athletics and establish a destination for athletes and active individuals.

The institute’s multidisciplinary model is designed to streamline the patient experience, bringing diagnosis, treatment, surgery, rehabilitation and performance together with one coordinated team. The goal is to help athletes and active individuals recover efficiently, prevent future injuries and return to the activities they love.

“The Forbes Sports Medicine Institute will bring together the expertise patients need from injury through recovery and return to activity,” said Asheesh Bedi, M.D., Executive Director and Chief of Sports Medicine at Michigan Medicine and head orthopaedic team physician for Michigan Athletics.

“Together with our statewide network, we aim to make Michigan a leader in sports medicine for athletes and active individuals at every level. I’m grateful to U-M Health, Michigan Athletics, university leadership, the Board of Regents and our generous donors and supporters for helping bring this vision to life.”

The Nathan and Catherine Forbes Sports Medicine Institute will bring together orthopaedic surgery, physical medicine and rehabilitation, imaging, procedures, rehabilitation and athletic performance in one location. Plans include 34 exam rooms, an ambulatory surgery center, procedural space for regenerative and biologic therapies, physical therapy, performance training and diagnostic imaging.

The facility will also feature urgent orthopaedic services, advanced imaging, indoor and outdoor training areas and co-located services for nutrition and mental health.

The institute will anchor U-M Health’s statewide sports medicine network, connecting expertise across Ann Arbor, Northville, Brighton, Troy, Lansing, Grand Rapids and future locations. U-M Health and its regional health system currently perform more than 17,000 orthopaedic procedures at seven hospitals and 30 outpatient orthopaedics and sports medicine clinics.

The Francis and Kenneth Eisenberg Troy Center for Specialty Care in Troy, Michigan, will also feature sports medicine and musculoskeletal services when it opens in late spring 2027, further expanding access to U-M Health expertise across southeast Michigan.

The institute is designed to strengthen the longstanding partnership between Michigan Medicine and Michigan Athletics while advancing research and innovation in injury prevention, biomechanics, regenerative medicine and performance science. It will also provide new opportunities to train future leaders in sports medicine and attract athletes seeking highly specialized care.

The project builds on a significant gift from Nathan and Catherine Forbes, longtime supporters of the University of Michigan. Their gift to establish the institute was announced in September 2025. The scale and scope of the project will continue to be supported by philanthropic partnerships building on the Forbes family’s generosity.

“Catherine and I are excited about what this institute will mean for athletes and patients at every level,” Nathan Forbes said. “Our hope is that it will help Michigan continue to set the standard for sports medicine, bringing together exceptional care, research, and innovation to improve lives.”

Nathan Forbes earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from U-M in 1985 and is managing partner of the Forbes Company. Nathan and Catherine Forbes are co-chairs of the university’s Look to Michigan fundraising campaign and have supported Michigan Medicine, Michigan Athletics and other areas across the university.

Construction of the Nathan and Catherine Forbes Sports Medicine Institute is scheduled for completion in fall 2028.

About Michigan Medicine

At Michigan Medicine, we advance health to serve Michigan and the world. We pursue excellence every day in our 11 hospitals and hundreds of clinics statewide, as well as educate the next generation of physicians, health professionals and scientists in our U-M Medical School.

Michigan Medicine includes U-M Medical School and University of Michigan Health, which includes the C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital, Von Voigtlander Women’s Hospital, University Hospital, the Frankel Cardiovascular Center, Kellogg Eye Center, University of Michigan Health-West, University of Michigan Health-Sparrow and the Rogel Cancer Center. The U-M Medical School is one of the nation's biomedical research powerhouses, with total research awards of more than $800 million.