An upcoming Phoenix Suns practice facility is being planned, with the organization looking to modernize its training spaces.
Under the terms of a $230 million Talking Stick Resort Arena renovation package approved by the Phoenix City Council in January, the Suns agreed to privately finance an off-site practice facility. The facility will be built at a yet-to-be-announced location within Phoenix’s city limits, with an estimated cost of $25-$50 million.
While many details remain unknown, the facility could present a few advantages. It will replace the existing practice space within Talking Stick Resort Arena, effectively allowing for that area to be repurposed as part of the upcoming renovations. It will also put the Suns in line with other NBA organizations that have sought to bolster their operations by constructing off-site practice facilities with state-of-the-art amenities. More from the Arizona Republic:
The Suns are still in the planning stages and still must select a general contractor and architect, but this is all part of the team’s goal of returning to its winning ways.
Phoenix hasn’t been to the playoffs since 2010 and finished this season with its second-worst record in franchise history at 19-63.
“It’s all about momentum,” said Suns general manager James Jones when asked about the benefits of having a new practice facility earlier this season. “Players thrive off momentum. If you watch a game, you’ll see their runs and you look, it starts with one shot or one play. You build that momentum. Now that players and their representatives know that we’re building that momentum, it makes it easier to jump on board because they feel if they get with us, they can carry us.”
The $25 to 50 million price range for the facility falls in line with cost of several of the NBA’s new practice havens.
More details on the practice facility could emerge before too long, as the first round of Talking Stick Resort Arena renovations is set to get underway this year. As part of the funding agreement for the renovations, the City of Phoenix will contribute $150 million from its Sports Facilities Fund–which receives revenue from taxes on car rentals and hotel stays–and the Suns will pay the remaining $80 million. That would come on top off the estimated $25-$50 million investment in the practice facility.
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