Mavericks Owner Mark Cuban on Thursday confirmed the 10-acre land deal for a new practice facility and HQ has "just closed," according to Candace Carlisle of the DALLAS BUSINESS JOURNAL. Cuban in an email wrote, "We plan on remodeling the primary building as a practice facility with additional features. Longer term, we will have new buildings on the site, including, longer term, a new arena." Cuban said that the existing building leases "will have no impact on his plans to immediately begin retrofitting the building for the Mavs' practice facility." Cuban said that the building has "about 90,000 square feet of vacant space the Mavs can begin using immediately" (BIZJOURNALS.com, 6/2). In Dallas, Steve Brown in a front-page piece notes the Mavs' development could "eventually include a wide variety of features, including a team store, public cafe, a museum and theater and outdoor plazas with water features, according to early design schemes." Cuban "has been working since last year to find a location for the Mavs training center," and he "has been working on the project with Dallas-based HKS," the architect who designed AT&T Stadium (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 6/3). ESPN DALLAS' Tim MacMahon wrote the Mavs have "practiced in a basement gym" at American Airlines Center "since the arena opened" (ESPNDALLAS.com, 6/2). The Mavs' development marks the 10th new NBA practice facility project over a period spanning '16-18, starting with BioSteel Centre (Raptors) and Hospital for Special Surgery Training Center (Nets) that both opened in February. The Bucks, Celtics, Hawks, Kings, Lakers, 76ers and Wizards also have practice facility developments under way. The Kings' practice facility is next to Golden 1 Center, their new arena opening in October (Don Muret, Staff Writer).
TALKIN' ABOUT PRACTICE: In Philadelphia, Bob Cooney notes the hope is that the 76ers' new $75M practice facility "will be ready to host the team when it opens training camp at the end of September." But reality "probably will not let that happen, and if not, it shouldn't be too long after that the approximately 125,000 square foot, state-of-the-art facility that sits at the Camden waterfront will be the Sixers' home away from home." The "enormous first-floor practice area will feature two regulation courts," and they are "surrounded by a huge weight room, a lap pool that will sit next to a hot tub and a cold tub, along with an oversized locker room, hydration stations, offices" for coach Brett Brown, his staff and President of Basketball Operations Bryan Colangelo. There also is a video room that "will seem like a sports bar, with televisions placed all around." The second floor "consists of a restaurant that will specialize in healthy food" and a "game room" (PHILADELPHIA DAILY NEWS, 6/3).
NEW DIGS: In Atlanta, Chris Vivlamore noted a "ground-breaking ceremony" for the Hawks’ new $50M practice facility "will be held on June 24." The facility, a "joint venture between the Hawks and Emory Healthcare, will be a 90,000 square foot complex built in Brookhaven." The groundbreaking "will be held the day after the NBA Draft," and the facility is "projected to be ready" for the '17-18 season (ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION, 6/2).
