The Clippers today announced the acquisition of a two-acre parcel of land within the Playa Vista community on Los Angeles Westside, to be developed as the site of a 35,000 square foot comprehensive training center for the teams exclusive use.
The site is located at the intersection of Centinela Boulevard and Bluff Creek Drive, centered between Jefferson and Sepulveda Boulevards. It is situated within close proximity to both the San Diego and the Marina Freeways. Nine current Clippers players currently reside within ten minutes of the site.
This is truly a great day for us, said Clippers Executive Vice President Andy Roeser in making the announcement. Id like to acknowledge the limitless support of our owner, Donald T. Sterling, who from the very out-set has been the driving force behind getting this project underway and completed.
Roeser continued, We have also had the help of a very good partner and diehard Clippers fan, Steve Soboroff, President of Playa Vista. We would not be here today without his vision and cooperation.
In addition to two full basketball practice courts, the project will also house athletic training, conditioning and locker room facilities, as well as offices for basketball operations, meeting rooms, a players lounge, a full-scale digital video production center, plus substantial working media space.
The Clippers decision to move to Playa Vista is a first in many ways, said Playa Vista President Steve Soboroff. Its the first land sale in the Campus area at Playa Vista. It will be the first NBA training facility in the City of Los Angeles. And we hope it will help the Clippers rise to first place in the Western Conferences Pacific Division.
At Playa Vista, we help provide housing so people can live near their jobs on the Westside, Soboroff continued. With the new Clippers training facility, there are at least three very tall Playa Vista residents I know who will be able to jog or ride their bikes to work from now on. And to the rest of team, Id like you to know we have several homes with very high ceilings.
We think that we have come up with a plan to build the very best facility of its kind in professional sports, a place where our players will be both comfortable and productive. We anticipate that its impact on our teams ability to prepare for the NBAs ever-growing level of competition will be significant, Roeser said.
An imminent groundbreaking date is pending. The construction project is targeted for a fall, 2006 completion.