Portland Thorns Share Sneak-Peek Into $150 Million Historic Collaboration With WNBA Team

Becoming an “elite organization” beyond the field and court was the vision that Portland Thorns’ owner, RAJ Sports, laid out earlier this year. In fact, the NWSL side isn’t chasing that dream alone. The newly launched WNBA franchise—co-owned by the same Bhathal family-backed investment group—shares that ambition, aiming for a blockbuster beginning through a historic $150 million collaboration. And from the looks of it, their dream is closer than ever to being completed.

A one-of-a-kind dual sports women’s performance center is under construction for the very first time in the history of both the beautiful game and basketball. It will revolutionize the modern standard for athletic facilities. While it was just a couple of months ago the announcement was made by Thorns and RAJ Sports, now we have a detailed overview of what it will look like.

This comes after the Thorns recently dropped a sneaky teaser on Instagram, offering a glimpse into their latest venture. The short animated clip showcased a prototype of the facility. It reveals a beautifully designed entrance, multiple state-of-the-art full-sized training grounds, and sleek basketball courts. Aside from this short glimpse, the Portland WNBA and NWSL collaborated post also had a caption that read, “Welcome to the future of women’s sports.”

While the full video may take a while to be released by the Thorns and the WNBA team, this teaser is more than enough to get fans buzzing. Even the players will be eagerly waiting for the facility to be completed, so their bosses can cut the ribbon and they can start making the most of the space. Well, this is something that even owners themselves want as well.

After all, a training center serving two professional teams from different sports has never existed before. It’s not just groundbreaking—it’s a promise fulfilled by owners Lisa Bhathal Merage and Alex Bhathal. The owners had committed to creating a dedicated facility for their teams and also investing thoroughly in the Portland metro region.

They believe this innovative training facility will offer the “most inclusive and welcoming environment” for all the athletes, let alone the place being a game-changer. But again, why dual sport? Well, that’s because “it will foster an environment of interaction between both teams while embracing the importance of family, community, and the evolving needs of female athletes.” 

Given that the overall construction is planned in multiple phases, the Portland group will splurge over $75 million on just the first stage of their total $150 million budget. The entire undertaking is being led by the acclaimed architecture and design firm Populous. And judging by how impressive it already appears, here’s a look at some of its cutting-edge features!

More about the impending Portland Thorns’ x WNBA project

Spanning over an impressive 63,000 square feet, the Portland Thorns’ upcoming performance center is one purpose-built and top-tier training experience that any elite female athlete will surely fancy. It will boast a 17,000-square-foot practice gym outfitted with two regulation-size basketball courts and a pair of full-sized soccer fields, along with an adjoining outdoor training area.

Both the Portland soccer and basketball teams shall be taking advantage of a 5,000-square-foot strength and conditioning space. Of course, equipping it with premium gears goes without saying. Other utilities include an outdoor turf zone and dedicated rooms for yoga and Pilates. Furthermore, separate spa-style locker rooms as well as a player dining hall staffed by a chef and nutritionist for performance-optimized meals have also been planned for both the WNBA and NWSL teams.

The rest of the personal touches for the ladies include family-friendly rooms, team meeting areas, and digital content studios designed to foster both athletic and personal growth. Last but not least, the facility will also feature secure player parking and a separate entrance. Consider it one of added convenience and privacy touch.

Overall, the upcoming training center promises to provide athletes with complete support. It will help them perform at their highest level. Beyond performance, it also places a strong emphasis on building a supportive environment for women. In doing so, it sets a bold new standard for the future of women’s sports and sports infrastructure.