Sky's the limit for local WNBA franchise's future practice facility

BEDFORD PARK (WBBM NEWSRADIO) - The Village of Bedford Park and the Chicago Sky are on cloud nine after breaking ground Wednesday on a new practice facility and more.

Phase two of the Wintrust Sports Complex will nearly double the size of the existing 116,000 square foot facility, which is set up mostly for basketball and volleyball.

Joe Ronovsky with the Village said the public portion of the expansion brings in more sports. They will get enough turf space to host baseball and flag football training,

By the end of next year, the entire district will feature a hotel and a gas station and two restaurants, all along 65th Street.

“If people are coming, and it’s driveable tournaments from the Midwest that are coming here, how do we check the box and be able to capture all that economic impact here? Well, you got to fill up gas, get your car washed while you’re waiting for your kids to play in their tournament,” said Ronovsky.

Where do the Sky come in? They get their own practice facility , the crown jewel of the expansion. It will be a $38 million, 40,00 square feet project. The Sky will join only a handful of WNBA teams that have a fully private space.

The Village wanted to expand the Wintrust Sports Complex even before it opened in 2021. The Sky have wanted their practice facility since well before co-owner Nadia Rawlinson bought in last year. Two goals have now come together.

The Sky get more than two courts and a locker room.

“We want this to be a place you could bring your families, bring your dogs,” Rawlinson said. “Think about your social media content for your own sort of brand that you’re trying to build as a player, we’re creating the space for that here. It’s going to be pretty remarkable.”

The project is thought to be the first public-private partnership of its kind involving a WNBA team.

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