Hawks CEO Steve Koonin said that the team expects to "announce a site and naming-rights partner for a long-discussed practice facility" in Q1 of '16, according to Tim Tucker of the ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION. Koonin said the Hawks are “looking at multiple sites” and “talking to public officials about collaboration.” He "didn’t disclose potential sites or partners." But Koonin noted that the plan is for the facility "to be open" for the '17-18 season. He noted that several NBA teams "have naming-rights deals with medical-care providers for their practice facilities and indicated the Hawks are moving toward something similar." The Hawks’ practice court currently is in Philips Arena, but large separate practice facilities "have become the NBA norm." The Hawks "continue discussions with city of Atlanta officials about renovating" the 16-year-old, publicly owned arena. Koonin: "We have not hammered out a deal, no, but we’re talking and working on it. And we share a very similar vision.” He added that the Hawks "have hired consultants 'to help us envision' what the renovations could entail." He said that the planning "won’t advance fast enough to begin construction next summer," but the summer of '17 "could be a 'serious' target." Meanwhile, Koonin and Exec VP & CRO Andrew Saltzman said that season-ticket sales have "tripled, albeit from a very low level, to more than 9,000 and that 18 new corporate sponsors came on board, with deals generally in the mid to high six figures" (ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION, 12/23).
SUPPORTING THE HOMETOWN TEAM: Rapper 2 Chainz, an Atlanta native, on Wednesday appeared on “SportsCenter” and talked with ESPN’s Stan Verrett about the Hawks. Verrett said, “They were having some diversity issues with the whole ownership group and then they reached out to you, or you reached out to them, and somehow you guys started collaborating. All of a sudden the Hawks are the coolest franchise in the league. How did that come about?” 2 Chainz said, “They partnered up with a cool guy, you know? We got the whole ‘True to Atlanta’ campaign going on. I was in touch with the previous owners, the new owners, we’re just trying to build a rapport with each other. For the most part, I'm a fan. I always have my shoes on the wood. I come to show support. I come with my family. So I think they just reciprocated by reaching out to me and mine, and having me come in and do some things for the team” (“SportsCenter,” ESPN, 12/23).
