CHARLESTON — After many years of attempts by the West Virginia Legislature to sell one or all four of the state’s publicly owned long-term care facilities, those hospitals are now in private hands.

Gov. Patrick Morrisey announced Saturday that the sale of Hopemont Hospital in Preston County, Jackie Withrow Hospital in Raleigh County, John Manchin Sr. Health Care Center in Marion County and Lakin Hospital in Mason County to New York-based Marx Development Group was finalized.

“This marks an important milestone in our work to strengthen healthcare services and modernize the state’s operations,” Morrisey said in a statement Saturday. “West Virginia patients can look forward to enhanced care, modernized facilities, and a commitment to quality care. This is another step forward in improving care outcomes for our patients while protecting taxpayer dollars.”

Morrisey announced on Aug. 12 that MDG had agreed to purchase the four state-owned long-term care facilities. The sale was supposed to close at the end of September, but MDG exercised an option to extend the closing date by 30 days.

According to an Aug. 11 asset purchasing agreement between MDG and the state obtained from the Governor’s Office through a Freedom of Information Act request, MDG agreed to pay the state $60 million in cash combined with an $80 million ancillary consideration component.

The additional $80 million would cover operational losses during the transition period as the state-owned long-term care facilities transfer to private for-profit facilities managed by MDG subsidiary Majestic Care, a long-term care company with facilities in Indiana, Michigan and Ohio.

In the agreement, MDG/Majestic agreed to continue to care for the mix of low-income and indigent patients, those with intellectual and developmental disabilities, those with substance use disorder, and older incarcerated patients or other wards of the state.