Exterior view of the Los Angeles Sparks practice facility in El Segundo, Calif.
Los Angeles Sparks
The Los Angeles Sparks announced plans Tuesday to build a new $150 million training and practice facility in El Segundo, Calif., a project the team says will open ahead of the 2027 WNBA season.
At 55,000 square feet, the practice facility is being described as the largest single-team investment in women’s sports to date. It will be designed in partnership with global architecture and design firm Gensler, with Transwestern’s Sports & Entertainment Group overseeing land acquisition and development management.
Amenities will include two regulation basketball courts, a circular locker room, a state-of-the-art weight room, hydrotherapy and spa suites, an outdoor recovery pool, nap rooms, and wellness areas for yoga and meditation. The Sparks also plan to move their business operations into the new facility, which will be outfitted by Studio Blitz, a women-run design firm.
“We’re building a place where Sparks players can be at their best on and off the court,” said Eric Holoman, Managing Partner and Governor of the Los Angeles Sparks. “From cutting-edge training and recovery spaces to family and community areas, every corner of this facility was designed with them at the center. It reflects our commitment to our team, our fans, and the city of Los Angeles, and sets a new standard for what a professional sports organization can provide for its athletes.”
Los Angeles Sparks Joins Practice Facilities Influx In The WNBA
PHOENIX, ARIZONA – JULY 19: Chelsea Gray #8 of the USA Basketball Women’s National Team shoots during a WNBA All-Star Game team practice at the Phoenix Mercury Practice Facility on July 19, 2024 in Phoenix, Arizona. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images)
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The Sparks’ plans arrive during a period of rapid investment in practice facilities across the WNBA, as franchises seek to match player needs with the resources that have long been standard in men’s leagues.
The Phoenix Mercury opened a $100 million, 58,000-square-foot facility in 2024 that includes two courts named after Diana Taurasi, hydrotherapy pools, a full kitchen, and lounge areas. That same year, the Seattle Storm unveiled their $64 million Center for Basketball Performance, the first practice facility in the league built from the ground up for a WNBA team. Before that, the Las Vegas Aces opened a 64,000-square-foot headquarters next door to the Raiders Headquarters in Henderson, Nevada.
Other franchises are following suit. The Indiana Fever have begun work on a $78 million Sports Performance Center in downtown Indianapolis, expected to open before the 2027 season and connected by skybridge to their home arena. The Chicago Sky are building a $38 million, 40,000-square-foot center scheduled for completion in 2026 through a public-private partnership. The New York Liberty recently announced an $80 million, 75,000-square-foot facility in Brooklyn’s Greenpoint neighborhood, slated to open in 2027.
Portland, which is preparing to welcome an expansion WNBA franchise alongside its NWSL team, the Thorns, is also investing in a dual-use $150 million campus that will feature basketball and soccer facilities with shared wellness and recovery spaces.
Together, these projects mark a shift in the landscape of women’s basketball, signaling that ownership groups and investors are placing greater value on long-term player development and professional infrastructure. The Los Angeles Sparks’ facility, like others across the league, is intended not only as a training ground but as a statement about the future of women’s sports.
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberta-rodrigues/2025/09/24/los-angeles-sparks-to-open-150m-practice-facility/
