The Detroit Pistons today opened the Henry Ford Detroit Pistons Performance Center, a $90 million state-of-the-art training center and corporate headquarters in the New Center area of Detroit. Designed as a community hub, the new 185,000 square-foot facility is the largest of its kind in the NBA and anchors a multi-use development that is transforming the neighborhood and attracting additional investment. Connected to the $37 million William Clay Ford Center for Athletic Medicine, the performance center will feature publicly accessible grocery, food, fitness and retail amenities, and an inviting streetscape that promotes walkability and community engagement.
Pistons owner Tom Gores lauded the Pistons homecoming and progressive alliance with Henry Ford Health System as beneficial for basketball, business and the City of Detroit.
“This facility is a huge win – for the community, our franchise, our fans and our future,” said Mr. Gores. “It’s the best training facility in the league and will give our players and coaches an edge in maximizing their performance. We are grateful to Henry Ford and everyone who played a part in establishing our new home.”
Mr. Gores added that while today’s opening completes the Pistons transition to downtown, the impact of that move is just beginning.
“This is an important milestone, but our work in Detroit is only getting started. Our ambitions have always been bigger than just basketball,” said Mr. Gores. “This is an investment in the future of our city.”
In addition to housing the training facility and corporate headquarters for the NBA franchise, the development includes a comprehensive sports medicine, treatment and rehabilitation facility managed by Henry Ford Health System; retail spaces occupied by Plum Market and Blink Fitness; and public spaces available for community relations activation, networking receptions and team hosted events.
Built on a parcel owned by Henry Ford between Wayne State University and Henry Ford Hospital, approximately two miles north of the new Little Caesars Arena where the Pistons have been playing games since 2017, the four-story complex’s grand opening comes nearly 30 months after the Pistons and Henry Ford Health System announced a partnership in which the health system serves as the official health care provider for the team and holds naming rights to the performance center.
The facility is a trendsetter in the NBA with basketball practice areas directly connected to the new William Clay Ford Center for Athletic Medicine. The performance center houses an estimated 100,000 square feet of the most-up-to-date basketball training equipment. A short walk across a 125-foot enclosed glass walkway offers players and team medical practitioners seamless accessibility to injury diagnosis and rehabilitative treatment.
Bringing so many resources together in one place has created unprecedented integration of sports science and research into the day-to-day schedule of each player. Technology, analytics and innovation will drive both training and recovery processes and equipment in the new building.
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