CHARLOTTE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) – Hornets Sports and Entertainment (HSE) officials ceremonially began construction on a six-story training facility Wednesday morning, with city leaders and legendary players in attendance.
Novant Health has the naming rights of the 160,000-square-foot performance center on East Fifth and North Caldwell Streets in Uptown.
Hornets Co-Chairmen Rick Schnall and Gabe Plotkin said upgrading the Spectrum Center and improving practice facilities was one of their top priorities when they bought the majority stake in 2023.
“We think this is going to be the best practice facility in the league,” Schnall said. “We’ll be able to develop our players into stars over time.”
Plotkin described the project as “a long time coming.”
Head coach Charles Lee said the upgrade will be pivotal in recruiting and retaining top talent.
“When they see you are doing things the right way and you’re growing toward being premiere, it’s attractive and you want to be a part of it,” Lee said. “It’s what wooed me here.”
The Hornets are far from the only team investing in its facilities. The Houston Rockets and Los Angeles Clippers debuted new practice courts at the beginning of the season, while the Orlando Magic completed a new facility in 2022.
“There’s clearly an arms race in terms of the practice facilities,” said Schnall. “If teams put practice facilities in 10 or 12 years ago, they have to redo theirs. Hopefully, this is one that’s going to last us a really long time.”
The Cleveland Cavaliers hired the same architecture firm working in Charlotte, Populus, to create its $3.5 billion multifaceted performance center.
The Novant Health Performance Center carries a $150 million price tag. City officials pledged to contribute $30 million from tourism funds, the rest will be covered by the owners. Like with the Spectrum Center, the property is owned by the city.
Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles said she’s proud of the collaboration between all partners on the project over the past several years.
“We are all in for this. It makes a world of difference in what we can do if we all join together,” Lyles said.
The contribution is part of an agreement to keep the team in Charlotte through 2045.
Plotkin said HSE also committed to $245 million in renovations for the Spectrum Center, to be completed in phases.
The performance center is set to open ahead of the 2026-27 NBA season.