The Sky’s days at a pubilc recreation center are almost over.
Before the second half of the WNBA season, which begins on Aug. 15, the franchise is expected to make an announcement regarding its new practice facility. According to two league sources, the Sky are considering using the Wintrust Sports Complex in Bedford Park, a suburb near Midway Airport.
Messages seeking comment were not immediately returned.
The 120,000-square -foot multi-purpose event center, owned by Bedford Park, opened in the fall of 2021 at a cost of $38 million. It has eight high-school basketball courts, one “championship court,” meeting spaces, and an arcade, according to the facility’s website.
If they do move forward with this location, it’s unclear if the franchise will buy the building or rent it.
One source told the Sun-Times the goal would be for the team to expand and improve the facility. This is in line with what ownership had previously stated about wanting a facility that can be used by the community while also offering dedicated space for the team. Wintrust Sports Complex is home to various youth sports programming, including high school basketball tournaments, volleyball, soccer, flag football, and pickleball.
The facility, at 5499 W. 65th St., is just a couple of blocks south of the southern edge of the airport. It’s about 11.3 miles from there to Wintrust Arena, a trip tht takes about 20 minutes if there’s no traffic.
Sky general manager Jeff Pagliocca told the Sun-Times at the beginning of July that in terms of a new team practice facility, he expected the Sky to have something ready to go by the beginning of next season.
One of the biggest questions the franchise will have to answer if they move forward the Bedford Park site is where players will live.
Most players currently live in a complex in north suburban Deerfield near Sachs Recreation Center. On game days, they stay in a hotel near Wintrust Arena. It appears this facility would remove the need for a hotel stay in their home market.
Across the league, franchises are investing in state-of-the-art practice facilities.
The Aces, Storm and most recently the Mercury all debuted brand-new facilities built from the ground up. The Aces moved into a 64,000 square foot facility — which cost $64 million to build — last year located next to the Raiders headquarters in Henderson, Nevada. Ahead of the 2024 season, the Storm debuted their $64 million facility, which was also a new build.
During the WNBA All-Star weekend in Phoenix, the Mercury held a ceremony to unveil their 58,000 square-foot performance center, which cost $100 million to build, according to the team. It’s blocks from the team’s arena, the Footprint Center, and has two courts being named after Diana Taurasi, who has spent her entire 20-year career in Phoenix.
Sky principal owner Michael Alter and operating chairman and co-owner Nadia Rawlinson were attended the unveiling. As Alter mingled near the center of one court, just yards away stood Taurasi, the four-time All-Star, first-time Olympian and Finals MVP he allowed to get away because of his slow-moving approach to this investment.
Kahleah Copper requested a trade in February because of the Sky’s inability to “keep up with the Joneses.” As a result, Pagliocca was unable to sign major free agent targets Skylar Diggins-Smith and Nneka Ogwumike, leading directly to Copper’s desire to be moved.
Copper was elated as she led different groups on tours through her new home. As she did, she shared jubilantly “this is what athletes need.” It was a sentiment echoed by Taurasi in her remarks to attendees, as she told stories of the “dungeon” the Mercury practiced in early in her WNBA career.
Sky players and coaches have always shared an attitude of not needing all the bells and whistles to be successful in the WNBA. First-time All-Star Angel Reese has adopted that Sky mentality.
“We have everything we need right now,” Reese said on Friday. “We’re going to take our time obviously getting what we do. I know Michael [Alter] and Jeff [Pagliocca] are doing a great job being able to put that in the works.
“I’m happy where we are right now. We’re continuing to be great without it. I know obviously it will be great when we do get it.”
Mental approach aside, it’s undeniable that success in the WNBA requires large investment from ownership. The Sky could soon be part of that conversation.