CHARLOTTE (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — Construction and design partners for the Hornets’ new $30 million state-of-the-art training facility have been announced.
According to the team, in addition to the City of Charlotte, partners include CAA Icon, Populous, Gilbane Building Company and R.J. Leaper, which is based in Charlotte.
Construction is expected to start in early 2025 and open for the 2026-27 season. It will feature more than 160,000 square feet of training, administrative, and retail space.
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“Following the first phase of our Re!magine Spectrum Center project, the new performance center is the next step as we work toward our vision of building the premier franchise in the NBA and operating world-class facilities,” Hornets Sports & Entertainment Co-Chairmen Rick Schnall and Gabe Plotkin said. “This performance center will provide our Hornets players with NBA best-in-class facilities to improve all aspects of their performance, training and health. We remain dedicated to investing in this community, and the City of Charlotte, and the development of this site is a key aspect in that. Our building partners are truly some of the best in the business – both here in Charlotte and around the world. We appreciate the collaboration of all parties involved and cannot wait to break ground on this project.”
Of the 160,000 square feet, more than 100,000 square feet will be used for training, practice and recovery space; 35,000 square feet will be used for administrative offices for the team’s business operations; There will be 2,500 square feet of ground-level space and a public plaza on the corner of Caldwell and 5th Streets.
The deal is part of a larger agreement that keeps the Hornets in Charlotte through at least 2045.
READ MORE: Charlotte officials revise deal for new Hornets facilities
“We’re excited to see the project team come together and the positive momentum for this project which will start to transform this part of Uptown by injecting needed retail and public gathering spaces, as well as helping to attract additional investment in Uptown,” City of Charlotte Assistant City Manager Tracy Dodson said. “The Charlotte Hornets are an important part of Charlotte’s entertainment and economic ecosystem, and this is a great opportunity for the Hornets to expand their presence and support their players with a world-class facility.”
New renderings of the Charlotte Hornets Performance Center:
