A permanent training location has yet to be determined.
Team officials began exploring temporary options two weeks ago, touring the campuses of Oklahoma City University, Southern Nazarene University and Oklahoma Christian University. Team chairman Clay Bennett, general manager Sam Presti, coach P.J. Carlesimo and director of basketball technology Paul Rivers were among the team executives that took the 30-minute tours.
“We were quite impressed with what Performance Sports Center was able to offer for our temporary needs,” said Presti. “The NBA size court and weight and training facilities are efficient for us in the interim. It’s an excellent location and we feel our players, coaches and staff will fit in well there. The Oklahoma City area offered several good facilities, but we decided this best met our needs.”
The team will use the Performance Sports Center as its full-time training site for the 2008-09 season, conducting all non game day practices at the facility and using the location as the center for the basketball operations offices.
According to its Web site, the 30,000 square foot Performance Sports Center has two full size basketball courts, volleyball courts, a state-of-the-art weight room a 65-yard indoor sprint track and full locker rooms showers and dressing areas.
Team officials said the facility will require some improvements to the locker rooms, training area, office space and meeting rooms to bring it up to NBA standards. The team won’t move into the facility until the upgrades are completed, which is expected to be around late September.
“This is a very important piece of our basketball operations,” Presti said. “It’s the players’ office, where they spend a great deal of time practicing, conditioning and continuing to develop as a team.”
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Not saying it is "sinister" jut another way of needlessly wasting taxpayer money. So far the millionaire and billionaire owners of the team have essentially contributed nothing.
Roger, I know you often do this just to rattle my cage. But when are you going to get it through your head, this is NOT just costing you $1? It is NOT just a tax that is going to run for 15 months. It is NOT going to only cost $120M. According to the terms of the lease, the MINIMUM cost is going to be close to a BILLION $$$$.
"It wouldn't help them attract free agent talent by getting a reputation for being cheap."...Absolutely...Since we aren't exactly a market most players would do backflips over we need to have top notch facilities...Kinda like T Boone U but hopefully with better luck in recruiting solid players...lol
"Anybody else ever notice the people like Jill who never comment on a story once the hard questions start being asked?"...She might still be waiting for a hard question...Or for one that pertains to something that costs us taxpayers more than a dollar...Move in Sept and the tax doesn't go into effect until 4 whole months later...The horror...Leave it to you and Larry to try and find something sinister in this boring story about a temporary practice facility...You guys are really reaching
BTW I drove past Performance Sports Center this afternoon. Basically, it looks like a huge medal shed on the outskirts of an industrial area. I'm sure that the facilities are nice inside, but it's not the kind of image the NBA wants to project. As the article said, it will probably do just fine on a temporary basis, but the team will eventually want to move into a place that's up to the standards of the rest of the league. It wouldn't help them attract free agent talent by getting a reputation for being cheap.
Larry, get this straight. The facility, after some improvements, will meet minimal NBA standards for a TEMPORARY practice facility, but will still be below the standards of most NBA practice facilities. Thats why this is a temporary facility.
"Paul. Seriously. I'll give you a cookie if you can ever, ever say something positive. A big, big cookie. For real."..Okay send the cookie then, cause I'm POSITIVE this state and this whole NBA bassa'ball fiasco sucks, big time.....
Amazing. No matter what story comes out about the team, some of you always find a way to spin it into something negative so you have something to complain about. This is a story about the TEAM buying a facility in which to practice, nothing more.
The city is going to pay the rent? Really? After Mayor Mick said no money would be borrowed for any of this fiasco? Does the team not plan on using the facility until after Jan. 1st when the tax increase kicks in? Or did he just lie once again to the people? I guess we all know the answer to that, don't we???
This property was a bargain for the team at any price. The City was going to pay the rent for the teams use of a temporary practice facility. My concern is that Performance Sports Center provides a huge amount of community athletic programs that I assume will be lost.
"seems like things are being paid for twice"....it'll all be more than twice before Clay gets done with the taxpayers pockets in this case, especially since Mayor Mick and the rest of the Hee Haw gang are so willing to lie to and spin the taxpayer so readily.....
Just trying to sort this out.... The Team has agreed to purchase a TEMPORARY facility that has to be brought up to NBA standards? If it is brought up to NBA standards is there any need for an additional permanent practice facility? Why can't the temporary facility be the permanent one? The article says the team has agreed to purchase (does that mean the team is paying for it or is the City)? Since the practice facility is also housing the team's basketball operations offices is there any need for the team offices that are planned for the Ford Center? If so, it seems like things are being paid for twice (no matter who is actually paying for it)??
D. You're an idiot!!! Who gives a *&%$ what the address is listed as!!! This is why it's taken so long to even get a team here, idiots like this that care more about perception than the fact that we actually have a team. What a fool this lady is :)
Yes the address is indeed in OKC limits. I irked me that they report the facility is in Edmond when it is physically in OKC. Peformance Sports Center and the Transformation Fitness Center both reside on the OKC side but many think of them as Edmond. North OKC is what should reported. I live in this area and I always claim my OKC heritage. No disrepect to Edmond.
Charles , they then resell it . I think thats pretty simple there. ____________ The facility is located near where most players will live, so it just makes since to have it close by.
They are using a practice facility in Edmond? I didn't think the Edmondites were involved in the sales tax vote for the Ford Center. At least keep the team in OKC, and out of Edmond.
There might be a "few" top execs from corporate sponsors living there also. Not to mention ticket buyers. Median household incomes, OKC: $35,000 Edmond $55,000.
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Sad song i wrote,,, it still hurts so bad...