Chicago Sky announce plans for a $38 million team practice facility to open in 2026

CHICAGO – The Chicago Sky will have their coveted practice facility.

The Sky announced plans to build a $38 million, 40-square foot practice facility on Thursday, with the facility being located in Bedford Park just south of Midway Airport.

In the release, the team noted the facility will be close to downtown Chicago and Wintrust Arena, noting that it will enable players to live downtown and “enhance their quality of life.”

The facility will have 24-hour year-round access for the team, and it will have community partnerships with The Obama Foundation and YMCA of Metro Chicago.

“We could not be more excited to announce a practice facility that will raise the bar on athletic performance, set the standard for player amenities, and support our players with exceptional resources built exclusively for them,” Chicago Sky Co-Owner and Operating Chairman Nadia Rawlinson said in a written statement. “Living in downtown Chicago will also give Sky players the opportunity to experience all of the benefits of our world class city. We thank Bedford Park who stepped up to be part of the first of its kind public-private partnership for a WNBA practice facility and to bring this transformational vision to life.”

According to the release, the performance center will include two regulation-sized WNBA courts, private facilities for the players, player lounges, a film room, a training room with strength and conditioning equipment, a private chef’s kitchen, a locker rooms with personalized lockers, secured parking, a content creation studio and beauty stations.

The Sky’s lack of a team-owned practice facility has held the franchise back in recent years, especially in free agency.

This past offseason was an example when the Sky tried and failed to court star players Nneka Ogwumike and Skylar Diggins-Smith. That catapulted the Sky into a rebuild.

Come 2026, the Sky will have their own facility to show come 2026, which is expected to be one of the most impactful free agency cycles in league history.

“As a lifelong Bedford Park resident, educator, and coach, I am thrilled to announce the expansion of the Wintrust Sports Complex to feature the Chicago Sky’s state of the art practice and training facility,” Bedford Park Village President David R. Brady said in a statement. “I want to thank our board and the Sky leadership for believing in a collective vision and investing in the future of Bedford Park. We are excited to be part of “Skytown” and are looking forward to welcoming them to their new home.”