CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Cavaliers, Bedrock and Cleveland Clinic have announced plans for a new performance center in downtown Cleveland.
Cleveland Clinic Global Peak Performance Center, which is described as a "first-of-its-kind" sports performance center and training facility, will be located on the Cuyahoga Riverfront downtown.
"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," said Dan Gilbert, Cleveland Cavaliers Governor and Bedrock Chairman. "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 new center aims to be a top-notch landing place for athletes of multiple sports., which will also offer personalized expertise in training, treatment, nutrition and recovery from Cleveland Clinic's professional medical specialists.
"Our vision for the Cleveland Clinic Global Peak Performance Center is to serve as more than just a practice or training facility. 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." said Koby Altman, President of Basketball Operations for the Cleveland Cavaliers.
"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. We have an opportunity to create an exciting project together that will impact our region for years to come," said Nic Barlage, Cleveland Cavaliers, Rock Entertainment Group, and Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse CEO.
Cleveland City Council President Blaine Griffin said this will not only benefit the team, but the wider community.
"Trying to attract more people, which this will, and bringing in more folks to do these kinds of things is what makes our city vibrant, what makes our downtown vibrant, what attracts more people to live here, move here, and most importantly spend their money here, because that’s what we want in the city of Cleveland,” Griffin said.
The team has been previously practicing at a facility in Independence. According to The Athletic columnist and 3News contributor Jason Lloyd, this change comes as the team needs more space, and moves closer to players, many of whom he said live downtown.
“This is a place where they can keep all their minor league stuff, all the Charge stuff in the building, they’ll have plenty of space there, the Cavs will have their space, and the Clinic of course will have their space to operate,” he said.
Lloyd said having a practice facility close to downtown hubs has become somewhat common.
"This has become the trend," he said. "There's a number of teams around the league who have built practice facilities recently, and most of them have been downtown or near downtown, and this is just sort of following suit with that."
After the announcement, Independence Mayor Gregory Kurtz released the following statement to 3News:
“I value the working relationship we have developed over the years and the significant investment the organization has made in the City of Independence,” said Mayor Kurtz. “The team’s decision to invest in our community and establish its training facility on Brecksville Road has enriched our community. The Cavs strategic plan for this global project will require several years of planning and construction. It also presents new opportunities for the City to consider."
