DENTON, Texas -- Denton city leaders said they plan to create a health care hub in an effort to improve the city's economy.

"This is a campaign to attract folks to Denton, but it's supported by all of the hospitals," said Mayor Perry McNeil.

All seven hospitals will firm a partnership known as Denton MD -- as in medical destination.

Because health care is a competitive environment Denton leaders said they decided to pull together its medical resources and create a hub maximizing its regional position off Interstate 35 to attract new patients.

"Very few cities could have had all their hospitals get together, work together in a common cause," said Gary Conwell, vice president of business development of Denton Regional Hospital.

The hub hopes to offer an array of acute care services and hundreds of new good paying jobs to boost the local economy.

"You have huge payrolls with all these hospitals -- all seven of them as well as the peripheral industries that are associated with it," McNeil said.

Conwell said the hospital is now the largest tax-paying member of the community and that the tax base is expanding as Denton attracts new medical facilities and research dollars.

The mayor said partnership has become the prescription for success.

"Certainly there is synergy in having all these facilities working here together," McNeil said.