New Thunder Practice Facility

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Thunder selects site for practice facility
BY MIKE BALDWIN
Published: October 11, 2008

The Oklahoma City Thunder has selected an eight-acre tract of land in north Oklahoma City as a tentative site for a $21 million permanent practice facility. Advertisement

On Tuesday, the Oklahoma City Council will consider a proposal for an early entry agreement for the NBA team to purchase eight acres at Britton Road and Broadway Extension that is currently owned by Kickingbird Medical Building, LLC.

The proposal will be reviewed for an early entry agreement with the property owner to conduct a due diligence evaluation, inspection and survey of the property. The process includes environmental studies, ground stabilization and a general assessment of the property and reliable cost estimates for construction.

Oklahoma City voters on March 4 approved a 1-cent sales tax to pay for $100 million in renovations at the Ford Center and about $21 million for a new practice facility if the city signed a lease with an NBA team. The tax will begin in January 2009 and run for 15 months.

It’s been estimated it will take nearly two years to build a permanent practice facility that would feature two courts, offices for basketball operations, team meeting rooms and other amenities. The new facility is expected to be ready for the 2010-11 season.

This season, the Thunder is practicing at a 30,000-square-foot facility in north Oklahoma City that was purchased from Performance Sports Center for $3.65 million in July. After undergoing renovations, the facility features one court, seven goals and a weight-lifting area.

According to legal documents, the address for land owned by Kickingbird Medical is 9500 N. Oklahoma, which is approximately a quarter-mile east of Broadway Extension on the north side of Britton.

Not particularly exciting...