It wasn’t a total surprise.
Talk of a new practice facility, to varying degrees, has been circulating around the Hawks franchise for years. However, there was an element of the unexpected when coach Mike Budenholzer informed his team that a state-of-the-art complex was about to become a reality.
Budenholzer made the announcement following practice Monday that a news conference would be held Tuesday. Ground will break on the $50-plus million facility in mid-May, with a planned completion date for the 2017-18 season.
The Hawks currently practice at Philips Arena on a court located off the locker room, where the ceiling often leaks and other issues have been problematic at times.
“I think it’s a huge deal for us,” Kyle Korver said Tuesday night. “We are grateful for that little gem behind us, but I think it’s time to evolve. This is what teams that are really committed to being championship-caliber teams are doing, spending the money and putting together a great facility. Of what I’ve seen, it’s going to be amazing. As players, we are very grateful.”
Budenholzer said the team has been so focused on the season that a practice facility has been in the back of their minds. It wasn’t in the back of the minds of the new ownership group, led by principal owner Tony Ressler, in the first eight months of their tenure. It was a priority, one Ressler called “urgent.”
Budenholzer said the team will consult players about certain aspects of the facility, which will be built in Brookhaven in partnership with Emory.
“They will have some input as to what is important on the inside and the layout and how it functions,” Budenholzer said. “The players are a priority. To not at least engage them at some level and hear what they think, I think would be unwise.”
In addition to the player development and medical care, the facility will lease space to P3. The renowned training facility attracts athletes to Santa Barbara, Calif., to work with applied sports-science techniques. Korver has been using P3 for many years.
The Hawks hope the combination will make the team a destination for potential free agents.
“It does play (into player recruitment),” Korver said. “Atlanta is an amazing city. People spend tons of time here in the offseason, athletes from all sports. It’s never really been thought of as a place you want to come and play your sport though. And so I think we are trying to change all that. I think the commitment that the Resslers have shown to building this facility, it starts there.
“Obviously, the leadership and Coach Bud and the culture that we are developing, that’s a big deal. We’ve been a successful team that last couple of years and that’s a big deal.
“Having this facility and having the P3 connection is a big deal. I know there are lot of people who want to use P3 more but Santa Barbara is far. I know that better than anyone. Atlanta could be a hub for guys wanting to come and get a great workout in, having a facility where you can play great pickup games. I think all those things are being thought about.”
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