CLEVELAND, Ohio (92.3 The Fan) – The Cleveland Cavaliers in partnership with Bedrock real estate and the Cleveland Clinic unveiled conceptual plans to move their training facility to downtown Cleveland’s riverfront on Thursday.
The new facility is part of Bedrock’s Cuyahoga riverfront master plan.
Proposed plans include the development of an “interdisciplinary training center,” which would be located at the intersection of Canal Rd. and Eagle Rd. but the timetable for construction of the multimillion dollar project is unclear.
“This past December, Bedrock unveiled its visionary and ambitious Cuyahoga Riverfront Master Plan that will transform Cleveland's riverfront into one of the world's premier waterfronts,” Cavs governor and Bedrock chairman Dan Gilbert said. “With today's announcement, we are taking the first step in realizing that vision by joining forces with Cleveland Clinic to design an innovative Cleveland Clinic Global Peak Performance Center right in Downtown Cleveland. This center will not only serve our team on and off the court, but it will create an opportunity for the everyday athlete to receive state-of-the-art care in Northeast Ohio.”
The Cavaliers new facility will be designed by Populous, a leading architectural firm responsible for the design of ballparks, stadiums, arenas and sports training facilities across the globe.
The team currently trains at Cleveland Clinic Courts on Brecksville Rd. in Independence, which opened in 2007.
“After over 30 years of partnership with Cleveland Clinic, the proposal for the Peak Performance Center represents the most ambitious project our organizations have ever contemplated,” Nic Barlage, Cavs, Rock Entertainment Group, and Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse CEO, said. “We have an opportunity to create an exciting project together that will impact our region for years to come.”
Unlike their current facility, the Cleveland Clinic Global Peak Performance Center would be accessible to both pro athletes and the public.
"Our vision for the Cleveland Clinic Global Peak Performance Center is to serve as more than just a practice or training facility,” Koby Altman, Cavs president of basketball operations said. “By creating a sustainable hub of resources to serve our players, we have an opportunity to retain and attract the league's top talent, strengthen the life-span of their careers, and help them reach their highest potential. These plans represent a substantial investment in the Cleveland Cavaliers’ championship culture.”
The new Center aims to be a destination for athletes from numerous sports and plans to offer personalized expertise in training, treatment, nutrition, and recovery from Cleveland Clinic's medical specialists.
"Cleveland Clinic is proud to partner with Bedrock and the Cleveland Cavaliers to announce our intention to move forward with this monumental plan that will greatly impact the health and well-being of our region for generations to come," Tom Mihaljevic, MD, CEO and president and Morton L. Mandel CEO chair of the Cleveland Clinic said. “Our sports medicine teams are known around the world for treating and taking care of athletes of all abilities and ages; it would be an honor to grow this program in our hometown of Cleveland with two great partners as we engage in the revitalization of downtown.”
