The Chicago Bulls have a new practice facility and it’s a lot closer to Chicago than the current one. On Friday, Bulls’ representatives, along with Mayor Rahm Emanuel, Ald. Walter Burnett (27th) and Advocate Health Care celebrated the opening of the West Side training facility.
It is directly across from the United Center, located on South Wood St., between Monroe and Madison Streets. Chicago Bulls’ Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf said it is good to have the facility in Chicago, instead of Deerfield, Ill, where the team has practiced since 1992. The Bulls agreed on a multi-year agreement with Advocate and named the facility the “Advocate Center: Chicago Bulls Training Facility.” Both Emanuel and Burnett said it will encourage tourism and stir up more economic development in the area.
“I think the alderman can testify to the dramatic investments that have been made by the Bulls and how that has brought other economic development into the neighborhood,” said Emanuel. ”
“When you look at both public and private over the last couple of years, it has been about 4,000 jobs because of the investments we have been making in both the public and private area and when that partnership exists, the entire neighborhood and community actually do receive the economic benefits, the job creation and the type of strengthening we want to see in the overall Eisenhower corridor. ”
Residents of the 27th Ward want to see more development in the area, said Burnett because right now it is a “sea of parking lots.”
“[The facility] will bring tourism here, it’s going to make people feel more comfortable coming here, more people will hang around, go to restaurants,” said Burnett. “Those restaurants are going to hire people in the community and if more restaurants open, people may look around and see it’s a nice place to live in,” said Burnett.
The players want to be in Chicago and apart of the community, said John Paxson, the Bulls’ executive vice president of basketball operations.
Emanuel said he would like for people in the community to watch the practices.
The 60,000-square-feet building houses two full-size basketball courts, expanded locker rooms with therapeutic hydro-pools, a video room, coaches’ offices, an updated weight room and a designated media room. On the second floor there is a green roof terrace, a cardio room and more. The team’s partner, Athletico Physical Therapy, will be in the facility, as well, to offer players on-site therapies and training assistance during practice and after home games. The Athletico building is set to open early next year.
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