Minneapolis/St. Paul – The Minnesota Timberwolves and Lynx unveiled the Timberwolves and Lynx Courts at Mayo Clinic Square today by hosting a grand opening ceremony featuring NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, WNBA President Laurel Richie, Timberwolves and Lynx owner Glen Taylor, Mayo Clinic President & CEO Dr. John Noseworthy and Minneapolis Mayor Betsy Hodges. The facility, a $25 million all private investment, is home to the teams’ new training center, basketball and business operations, the Mayo Clinic Sports Medicine Center and the Timberwolves and Lynx Basketball Academy.
Construction on the project began in February 2014 when the Timberwolves, Lynx and Mayo Clinic announced a new partnership that included plans to develop the training center and state-of-the-art sports medicine center in 600 Hennepin Ave., now named Mayo Clinic Square. Occupying the third and fourth floors of a former movie theater, the 107,000 sq. ft. facility includes expanded training areas and two basketball courts, with the Timberwolves and Lynx each having a primary court. The 20,000 sq. ft. Mayo Clinic Sports Medicine Center opened in October 2014 and is directly connected to the teams’ training area.
“This is a very exciting day for our teams and entire organization as we open this world-class facility,” said Rob Moor, CEO of the Timberwolves and Lynx. “This training center is a game changer for our organization and is unlike anything you’ll see in the NBA, WNBA or all of professional sports.”
With the opening of the training center, the Lynx are the first WNBA team to have their own dedicated practice space, which includes their own court, locker rooms and training areas. The location of the training center also makes it unique. While many practice facilities are built in non-descript office parks, the Timberwolves and Lynx Courts at Mayo Clinic Square is located in downtown Minneapolis and right across the street from Target Center, the teams’ home arena.
“What really makes this facility one-of-a-kind is our partnership with Mayo Clinic, which combines the gold standard in health care with our elite athletes,” said Moor. “With Mayo Clinic right next door, our players have instant access to one of the most sophisticated and respected medical systems in the world. The combination of our new training center and partnership with Mayo Clinic allows us to develop our players to 100 percent of their ability and is a great asset for retaining and attracting the top talent in the NBA and WNBA.”
The Timberwolves and Lynx former practice facility was a shared single court and training area located below the ground level of Target Center, two floors underneath the locker rooms.
With the Timberwolves/Lynx and Mayo Clinic signing on as anchor tenants in Mayo Clinic Square, the building underwent a separate interior and exterior redevelopment that was privately funded by its owner Camelot LLC. The building was transformed from a former retail and entertainment center into a mixed-use building with restaurants and office space on the first and second floors.