Chicago Blackhawks Break Ground on New Training Facility

CHICAGO, IL - Ground broke this week on a 125,000 square foot Community Training Center two blocks from the United Center. It is expected to open as the Chicago Blackhawks training facility by December 2017, according to a news release from Mayor Rahm Emanuel. 

The $55 million project will result in a location for “year-round youth hockey development programs, recreational leagues and events” as well as serve as the practice facility for visiting NHL teams. 

The facility will contain two NHL regulation-size ice rinks, spectator seating and a dedicated oasis parking lot. 

“This new facility is a win for the Chicago Blackhawks and a win for Chicago’s youth,” Emanuel said. “This training center will be a community hub, providing programs for young people and opportunities for the neighborhood. I want to thank Rocky Wirtz and the entire Blackhawks organization for building not just a great new facility but also helping to build more great futures for the children of Chicago.”

Wirtz called the center the new “epicenter for hockey development” in the city. 

“Unlike other sports that can be played on the street or in the park, hockey depends on access to ice, and that remains one of the biggest challenges to growing the sport. By developing this facility, we are investing in youth hockey in Chicago and the future of the sport.”