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Block E renamed Mayo Clinic Square
Posted: Tue Nov 26, 2013 7:39 am
by Klomp
http://www.startribune.com/local/minnea ... 28781.htmlThe Minnesota Timberwolves and Lynx plan to open a practice facility and new headquarters space in Block E, the long-troubled retail complex in downtown Minneapolis.
The teams confirmed the news Monday, as Block E’s owners announced a privately funded renovation that features a sleek design for new office and restaurant space.
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The impending $97 million renovation of the city-owned Target Center helped spur conversations about relocating some operations to Block E, Jaffe said. “The Timberwolves and Lynx were looking for a practice facility. What better place than across the street?” he said.
Rob Moor, CEO of the Wolves and Lynx, said in a statement that given Block E’s “proximity to the soon-to-be renovated Target Center we believe there are bound to be tremendous synergies between the projects that will result in a state-of-the art facility unlike anything else in the NBA or WNBA.”
The practice facility, including a basketball court and headquarters for the teams, will be located on the third and fourth floors of Block E, once home to a 15-screen movie theater.
A lease has not yet been signed between the team and Block E’s owners, but Moor said that “we are hopeful in the coming weeks we can complete those steps and make this project a reality.”
This would be a shot if you were walking away from Target Plaza with Target Center to your right (off-camera), where the skyway is connecting to:
Re: Block E Reno includes Wolves/Lynx practice facility/offi
Posted: Wed Nov 27, 2013 2:11 am
by Minnesota Power
Re: Block E Reno includes Wolves/Lynx practice facility/offi
Posted: Wed Nov 27, 2013 2:23 am
by Wolves_Nation
This could help draw FAs actually. I really like it.
Re: Block E Reno includes Wolves/Lynx practice facility/offi
Posted: Wed Nov 27, 2013 3:00 am
by Yes We Kahn
This exotic practice facility will probably be shut down by 2032
Re: Block E Reno includes Wolves/Lynx practice facility/offi
Posted: Wed Nov 27, 2013 4:06 am
by cpfsf
Yes We Kahn wrote:This exotic practice facility will probably be shut down by 2032
that means kevin love won't re-sign.
Re: Block E Reno includes Wolves/Lynx practice facility/offi
Posted: Wed Nov 27, 2013 4:07 am
by Klomp
Looking up other newer facilities, from what I can find, the newest and largest practice facilities are New Orleans and Cleveland. Both are in suburbs of their respective cities, roughly 10 miles from their home arenas.
Cleveland's is 50,000 square feet and opened in 2007.
New Orleans' is also 50,000 square feet, and opened this year.
I don't have exact figures on square footage to be used by the Timberwolves, but its a 400,000 square foot building (not sure if they are double-counting for multiple floors). The plan is to lease out roughly 100,000 sq ft for office space and 20,000 for restaurants. That still leaves 280,000 square feet left. Even if they are double-counting, that's still a lot of space, and much bigger than other practice facilities.
Re: Block E Reno includes Wolves/Lynx practice facility/offi
Posted: Wed Nov 27, 2013 4:16 am
by Klomp
Klomp wrote:This would be a shot if you were walking away from Target Plaza with Target Center to your right (off-camera), where the skyway is connecting to:
To get another mental picture, that skyway would be the same as this skyway:
Re: Block E Reno includes Wolves/Lynx practice facility/offi
Posted: Thu Nov 28, 2013 12:57 am
by Minnesota Power
Me likey! I hope it can be much bigger than Cleveland's and New Orleans!
Re: Block E Reno includes Wolves/Lynx practice facility/offi
Posted: Thu Dec 5, 2013 8:18 pm
by Klomp
I'm getting really excited about this! We've seen in college athletics how important facilities can be in recruiting (heck, Nebraska got a kid from New Zealand to sign).
All the reports are that the project would be done in late 2014. If that happens, it could be a big chip to recruit free agents to come to Minnesota. Also important that its well before the trade deadline prior to Love's opt-out. Extra ammunition to get him to stay and recruit others here.
Re: Block E Reno includes Wolves/Lynx practice facility/offi
Posted: Tue Feb 4, 2014 8:00 pm
by Klomp
[tweet]https://twitter.com/Twolves_PR/status/430519306011410432[/tweet]
[tweet]https://twitter.com/kevinlove/status/430776442884857856[/tweet]
[tweet]https://twitter.com/MNTimberwolves/status/430792174268346368[/tweet]
Re: Block E Reno includes Wolves/Lynx practice facility/offi
Posted: Tue Feb 4, 2014 8:21 pm
by Klomp
[tweet]https://twitter.com/MSPBJvomhof/status/430797736771076096[/tweet]
Re: Block E Reno includes Wolves/Lynx practice facility/offi
Posted: Tue Feb 4, 2014 8:39 pm
by C.lupus
That all sounds really sweet. I missed a few things because of the bad stream but what I got:
- State of the art practice facility for Wolves and Lynx with separate practice floors, lockerrooms, etc.
- New 20,000 sq. ft Mayo Clinic sports medicine facility.
- Mayo is new official health provider for teams.
- Unique in the NBA to have practice facility and medical facility attached to stadium.
Re: Block E Reno includes Wolves/Lynx practice facility/offi
Posted: Tue Feb 4, 2014 8:41 pm
by Klomp
Timberwolves star forward Kevin Love was involved in the process of planning the team’s new practice facility in the new Mayo Square Clinic and he likes what he sees in the renderings.
“The designs are very cool,” Love said in an emailed statement to the Pioneer Press. “Looking forward to playing there and using the new facilities.”
Love said he believes a new practice facility, across the street from Target Center in the former Block E complex, as well as a new partnership with Mayo Clinic will set the franchise apart.
“It’s going to help us medically and (help us) attract free agents,” Love continued in the statement. “I think people will look at this facility as one of the best, if not the best, in the NBA.”
http://blogs.twincities.com/timberwolve ... eam-apart/
Re: Block E Reno includes Wolves/Lynx practice facility/offi
Posted: Tue Feb 4, 2014 8:43 pm
by Klomp
One of the things that caught my attention was Flip saying the Target Center renovation was fan-centered, so this was made to address the team's needs.
And its 100% privately funded!
Re: Block E Reno includes Wolves/Lynx practice facility/offi
Posted: Tue Feb 4, 2014 8:45 pm
by C.lupus
Klomp wrote:Timberwolves star forward Kevin Love was involved in the process of planning the team’s new practice facility in the new Mayo Square Clinic and he likes what he sees in the renderings.
“The designs are very cool,” Love said in an emailed statement to the Pioneer Press. “Looking forward to playing there and using the new facilities.”
Love said he believes a new practice facility, across the street from Target Center in the former Block E complex, as well as a new partnership with Mayo Clinic will set the franchise apart.
“It’s going to help us medically and (help us) attract free agents,” Love continued in the statement. “I think people will look at this facility as one of the best, if not the best, in the NBA.”
http://blogs.twincities.com/timberwolve ... eam-apart/
ESPN: "Love looking forward to free agency"
Re: Block E Reno includes Wolves/Lynx practice facility/offi
Posted: Tue Feb 4, 2014 8:45 pm
by Klomp
[tweet]https://twitter.com/brittrobson/status/430803916339433472[/tweet]
Re: Block E Reno includes Wolves/Lynx practice facility/offi
Posted: Tue Feb 4, 2014 10:17 pm
by Krapinsky
I feel like Block E was just built. Boy how time flies. Next you're going to tell me that no one shops at Knollwood mall anymore.
Re: Block E Reno includes Wolves/Lynx practice facility/offi
Posted: Wed Feb 5, 2014 4:52 am
by Minnesota Power
At the Target Center I saw a poster thingy about the new practice facility tonight!
Re: Block E Reno includes Wolves/Lynx practice facility/offi
Posted: Wed Feb 5, 2014 7:07 am
by Klomp
Re: Block E Reno includes Wolves/Lynx practice facility/offi
Posted: Wed Feb 5, 2014 2:58 pm
by Minnesota Power
So glad to see their commitment to Minnesota !
