The WNBA reigning champion New York Liberty, joining the likes of the Las Vegas Aces, are getting their own dedicated training facility with some cutting-edge player perks.
The team plans to build an $80 million complex that spans 75,000 square feet located on Newtown Creek in Brooklyn’s Greenpoint neighborhood. The training center, expected to open in 2027, includes the redevelopment of a four-story former lightbulb factory that will be turned into staff offices and dining space, the Liberty said in a statement.
A new two-story, 40,000-square-foot extension building will focus primarily on player amenities including a locker room, training area and roof decks. The Liberty’s ownership group intends to finance construction costs.
The Liberty currently train at the Barclays Center, their home court and home to the NBA's Brooklyn Nets. Both teams are co-owned by Joe Tsai, a co-founder of Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba, and his wife, Clara.
The Liberty declined to elaborate on the exact location of the Brooklyn development and deal terms.
The new complex includes what the Liberty described as a “revolutionary” locker room concept that’s set to replace traditional lockers surrounding the player lounge area. Instead, each player will have her own private suite, equipped with a full-height wardrobe and sneaker storage, a vanity with face-illuminating mirrors and lighting, and a 7-foot daybed for lounging and recovery, the Liberty said.
The facility also will feature two full practice courts equipped with remote cameras and data tracking technology; an outdoor basketball court; roof deck dining; a two-floor indoor and outdoor strength training room; a full recovery suite featuring a hyperbaric chamber; an in-house hair, nail and makeup studio; private family lounges; and a broadcast and podcast studio.
Populous, the architectural and design firm behind the project and others such as New York’s Yankee Stadium and Las Vegas’ Sphere immersive entertainment venue, incorporated input from Liberty star players Sabrina Ionescu, Jonquel Jones and Breanna Stewart.
“This is a great take on reshaping what a locker room is, because it is not only about building team chemistry, but also giving players space for personal time,” Jones said in the statement. “It is important to let our personalities shine and have a place where you can really express yourself. This new facility is not only about functionality, it is about creating a space that truly reflects who we are as athletes and people.”
The new Liberty project comes as the Aces in 2023 opened a 64,000-square-foot practice facility and team headquarters in Henderson, Nevada. The Aces said at the time their center marked the first time in the 27-year history of the WNBA that a facility of its kind was built solely for use by a team in the league.
Architecture firms have noted changes in modern sports facilities.
“In the past, the old-school approach to athletic training involved pushing the body to its limits with minimal rest, grueling workouts, questionable medication use, and minimal to no mental, emotional, and social health support,” architecture firm Gensler said in a report last year. “Today, the sports industry is adopting a more holistic approach based on working smarter, not harder. … [It’s] beyond physical training [and] creating holistic performance centers for total athlete well-being … ensuring that individuals leave as better versions of themselves.”