Beaumont Enterprise, Feb. 13, 2007 KOUNTZE - It's been almost 10 years since the last hospital closed its doors in Hardin County, but next year a new 24-hour emergency room, acute-care facility with 50 beds could open. On Monday, the Hardin County Commissioners Court unanimously approved providing a tax abatement agreement to Renaissance Hospital to build a $25 million, 50-bed facility in either Lumberton or Silsbee. Hospital officials are considering four locations - two in Silsbee and two in Lumberton. However, Silsbee looks like a more viable option because Lumberton is "land-locked," said Tres Boyd, Renaissance Healthcare System vice president. The company has done research that shows patients are traveling to Beaumont, Houston and Galveston for medical care. The Hardin County hospital also will have a medical office building, Boyd said. He said the tax abatement gives the hospital the incentive to open in Hardin County. Lumberton resident Carmen Roberts said she would like to see the hospital in her community, but just having a hospital in Hardin County would be a huge relief for her parents, who frequently travel to UTMB for their medical care. "When you have to travel hundreds of miles for health care, it doesn't help you get well," said Roberts, whose mom had an aneurism and dad has cancer. "They need to stay in a hotel before they come back. Between gas and the hotel, it gets pretty expensive."