University of Washington plans to build basketball training facility

The University of Washington Board of Regents has approved plans to construct a Basketball Training & Operations Facility and Health & High Performance Center on the Seattle campus.

A building with 60,000 to 70,000 square feet of space will be constructed on the existing site of the Hec Edmundson Pavilion Pool next to the Alaska Airlines Arena, the university says in a news release.

The 14,000-square-foot weight room and Husky Legends Center inside the Graves Annex Building will be renovated as part of the improvements.

The $60.5 million project will be funded entirely by donations to the athletic department.

"We couldn't be more excited to move forward with the plans for these facilities," says Jennifer Cohen, Director of Athletics. "The Health and High Performance Center will support the development, health and well-being of our students now and for years to come, which is central to our mission. The Basketball Training and Operations Facility will provide our teams with much needed practice and community spaces, and is an important investment for the future success of both programs."

Construction on the venue is scheduled to begin in 2021, and completion is slated for 2023.

The Basketball Training & Operations Facility will have state-of-the-art practice courts, locker rooms, recruiting/player lounges, film rooms and a new front porch to celebrate the history and significance of both programs.

The Health & High Performance Center will have centralized services including: strength & conditioning, nutrition, and mental health wellness, athletic training and medical services. The center will serve more than 500 student-athletes.

"One of the most important ways to ensure a quality experience for our student-athletes from a health and performance standpoint, is excellent collaboration among the many support areas in our athletic department," says Robert Scheidegger, assistant athletic director for medical services and head athletic trainer.

"The Health and High Performance Center will bring together all of the quality professionals we have working in sports medicine, nutrition, psychology and sport performance into one modern facility vastly improving collaboration between these important support areas, enhancing the student-athlete experience."