Bulls Open New West Side Practice Facility

By Chuck Sudo in News on Sep 12, 2014 6:10PM

Photo by Patrick Pyszka/City of Chicago

Mayor Rahm Emanuel, Ald. Walter Burnett, Jr. (27th) and other VIPs joined the Chicago Bulls in opening the Advocate Center, their new 60,000 square-foot practice facility on the Near West Side. The new center, located next to the United Center, consolidates Bulls front office staff and basketball operations within Chicago’s city limits for the first time since they moved their practice facility to the Berto Center in Deerfield in 1992.

The city and Bulls announced plans for the new practice facility in November 2012. It was designed by 360 Architecture, the firm behind MetLife Stadium in New Jersey and redeveloped Saluki Way at Southern Illinois University in downstate Carbondale. Bulls chairman Jerry Reinsdorf called the opening “a historic day for our team and the City of Chicago.”

Photo by Patrick Pyszka/City of Chicago

"We know this facility will play a key role in achieving our team’s number one goal - winning championships - while also having an impact on the redevelopment efforts for the Near West Side neighborhood.”

Advocate Health Care, Illinois’ largest hospital system, won the naming rights for the facility in June. Terms weren’t disclosed at the time, but Crain’s Chicago Business sports business reporter Danny Ecker reported at the time naming rights for the center were valued at $1 million annually. Advocate also announced Friday it was merging with NorthShore University HealthSystem to form Advocate NorthShore Health Partners. That deal is expected to close early next year.