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Cleveland Cavaliers Unveil New Practice Facility

An underwater treadmill aids player rehab.

Laura B. Weiss -- Interior Design, 10/1/2007 12:00:00 AM

Members of the Cleveland Cavaliers NBA basketball team are honing their jump shots at a newly opened 74,000-square-foot practice facility outfitted with two full-sized practice courts, a state-of-the art sports medicine facility, expansive weight rooms, and the latest in high-tech gadgets.

Located in Independence, Ohio, just south of Cleveland, the $20 million Cleveland Clinic Courts was designed by design firm Ellerbe Becket, which is also behind the Cavs' Quicken Loans Arena, situated in downtown Cleveland.

Adorned with numerous features to enhance the players’ practice experience, Cleveland Clinic Courts boasts a medical center tied to the world-renowned Cleveland Clinic that will allow doctors to perform MRI’s and X-rays right on the spot. The medical center showcases an innovative way to ease pressure on players’ tender joints: An underwater treadmill. When an athlete hops on, the machine is lowered into a special tank.

The team works out in a 3,000-square-foot strength and conditioning room and strategizes in a theater-style meeting room equipped with an oversized projector. Additional features include a hydrotherapy area, a coach’s meeting room, I-Pod docking stations, and plasma screen TVs.

With an exterior of wood, stone, and glass designed to infuse the space with light, the architects "took advantage of the 360 degree view of the woods" that grace the six-acre site, says Ellerbe Becket principal-in-charge Doug Beichley, who also notes one goal was to provide a relaxing environment for the team’s players.