Plans were unveiled this week for Maryland Basketball Performance Center, a training facility that would serve both University of Maryland programs.
Pitched as a $36 million project, the performance center would offer facilities for Maryland’s men’s and women’s basketball teams. At 60,000-square-feet, it would include two full-size practice courts, shared strength and conditioning center space, sports medicine facilities, and meeting and office space for coaches and program staff. It would also be connected to the university’s arena, Xfinity Center.
“The addition of a performance center will have an immeasurable impact on our basketball program as we strive to provide a first-class experience for our student-athletes,” Mark Turgeon, head coach of men’s basketball, said in a press statement. “The facility will upgrade nearly every facet of our program, further elevating our status in the national basketball landscape.”
“It is our vision that with a new Basketball Performance Center, the university will continue its ascent in the Big Ten Conference and provide our teams with the infrastructure they need to continue striving for championships,” Athletics Director Damon Evans said in a press statement. “This new center will help provide a transformative experience for our student-athletes, giving them an unmatched opportunity to become top collegiate basketball players.”
An exact opening date was not included in Tuesday’s announcement, as the university will continue fundraising for the effort. More from the Washington Post:
The facility will be privately funded, and the athletic department has raised $19 million so far. Maryland is still working to complete the Cole Field House project, which will turn the site into a $210 million indoor football facility. Only $60 million had been raised as of last month. Given that project, Turgeon said he had to wait patiently for the new basketball facility.
“I believe as an athletic department that we’ve got to continue to push and move forward and grow,” Evans said of pursuing both projects simultaneously. “Our basketball programs are important to us, the history and tradition that we have. I believe that we have the fan base and the support out there to do so.”
The basketball performance center will connect to Xfinity Center, where both programs play. The plans for the 60,000-square-foot facility include two full-size courts, a strength and conditioning facility, locker rooms, lounges and space dedicated to sports medicine. Turgeon said the strength and conditioning facility is at least four times the size of Maryland’s current space. Women’s coach Brenda Frese called the center a “game-changer.”
When asked about the expected completion date, Evans’s reply was “as soon as possible,” noting that this sort of project typically takes about 36 months and the athletic department remains focused on completing fundraising. Tuesday marked the start of what Evans called a “comprehensive fundraising campaign.” Opportunities for naming rights are available, and Evans would not comment on whether Under Armour would be financially involved.
“This training facility will keep both our basketball programs ahead of the curve and at the top of their games,” Brenda Frese, head coach of women’s basketball said in a press statement. “We always strive to be the best and this facility will represent that. In my 17 years at Maryland, the support we’ve received is incredible and I know our fans will love seeing our programs work out of the best facility in the country.”
Renderings via University of Maryland.
