A new, highly anticipated era for the Sky is officially here, marked by the announcement of the franchise’s $38 million practice facility to be built in Bedford Park.
In a press release shared Thursday morning, the franchise announced it would break ground — in partnership with the Village of Bedford Park — on the 40,000-square-foot facility this fall. The facility — which has been years in the making — will be located on the land next to the Wintrust Sports Complex near Midway Airport.
Sky co-owner and operating chairman Nadia Rawlinson told the Sun-Times the partnership included a monetary investment from the village.
“They were willing to come in and put some skin in the game as we were too,” Rawlinson said. “We talk about our values and things we care a lot about. Again, going back to communities, people who are aligned with what we believe, our vision but also we have the business side. It needs to work out financially, structurally and timeline wise.”
Rawlinson added that Bedford Park contributed both financially and “strategically and how we’re thinking about this from both sides.” Rawlinson declined to go into specifics on the financial breakdown and how much of the $38 million the Sky invested into the facility.
The facility — which is scheduled to be completed by December 2025 — will include two regulation sized WNBA courts, private facilities for the players, player lounges, a film room, training room, private chef’s kitchen, locker room with personalized lockers, secured parking, a content creation studio, beauty stations and “more.”
Sky coach Teresa Weatherspoon and general manager Jeff Pagliocca were both kept in the loop regarding ownership’s search for a facility, weighing in when necessary. Ann Crosby, the Sky’s vice president of basketball operations, strength and conditioning coach and longest-tenured employee, contributed to evaluating sites best suited for training players.
Many fans have commented on the Sky’s decision to build a new facility that, like their current practice set up, is outside of the city. However, there’s no arguing the significant upgrade being made. At Sach’s Recreation Center in Deerfield — where the Sky will continue to practice through the 2025 season — the team has access to one court and does not have access to a private locker room.
Players currently reside near Sachs Recreation Center in Deerfield and stay at a hotel near Wintrust Arena on the eve of home games. The new facility will come with upgraded team housing. The South Loop is a neighborhood being considered.
In terms of opting for the south suburbs over the city, Rawlinson said the team explored “everything that was available.” Each option had a varying impact on the timeline and economics.
“I know we wanted it to be downtown Chicago, that’s ideal,” Rawlinson said. “We talked about whatever makes sense financially for the franchise, whatever is available and the timeline. There are things that could work but would take a lot longer.
“We’re putting in the time and effort to do it the right way with the right partners on the timeline that is the fast as possible without sacrificing quality.”
The Sky made their plans for a facility official a week after the Mercury debuted their $100 million facility blocks from the Footprint Center in Phoenix. Rawlinson and Sky principal owner Michael Alter were both in attendance and toured the facility.
Including the Mercury, seven other WNBA franchises have access to a practice facility. However, some are dual homes to their NBA counterpart like the Mystics, Liberty, Lynx and Fever.
The Sky will join the Aces, Storm and Mercury as the only franchises with individual practice facilities. The Sky’s rings up at nearly a third of the Mercury’s and just over half of the Storm’s $64 million facility. The Aces’ facility cost $40 million to build in Henderson, Nevada.
The Aces’ is a 64,000 square foot space, the Storms’ is 50,000 and the Mercury’s is 58,000.
What’s not debatable is the impact this will have on the Sky in free agency. News of this facility immediately puts the Sky a step above franchises like the Dream, Sparks, Wings and Sun — all operating without practice facilities — in terms of player experience.