Mat Ishbia investing $100M-plus in facilities for Phoenix Suns and Mercury

The Phoenix Suns and Mercury are making seismic moves to the tune of $100-plus million investment from their team owner.

Mat Ishbia plans to build a 123,000 square foot “campus” that’ll feature a business headquarters for the Suns and Mercury and an exclusive practice facility for the WNBA franchise.

“It’s going to be the best of the best,” Suns and Mercury CEO Josh Bartelstein said.

The facility is scheduled to be completed by next spring. Ishbia confirmed he’s financing the $100-plus million campus that will not require taxpayer’s money.

“I’m making the investment,” Ishbia said. “I’m investing in the teams just as we do with the teams. The money is coming from me. This is an investment in the community."

The campus will be located three blocks from Footprint Center on Lincoln Street within Phoenix’s Warehouse District.

“Being right down the street is great because we can walk there,” Suns CEO Josh Bartelstein said. “We have so many events at this facility. Not just Suns, Mercury games. We have over 80 live events this year that are going to be there. So, there is value having the proximity right down the street from it. It’s an incredible feel and energy and vibrance having everyone right around there.”

Transwestern’s Sports & Entertainment Advisory Group is taking the lead in the real estate process and assisting in the design and construction of the campus.

“We’ve set a date,” Ishbia said. “This is not like a plan and you see some renderings and you’re like, oh, it’s going to come out in four years. This thing is coming out spring of next year. I think this going to be great.”

The Mercury and Suns have shared the $45-milllion practice facility that was completed going into the 2020-21 season, but Ishbia noted how the Suns and Mercury will no longer have to schedule around each other to practice.

“Especially in the playoffs,” Ishbia said. “The Mercury’s season starts in May. That’s May, June. We’re going to be hopefully playing a lot of (playoff) basketball.”

The Suns are one of the favorites to win an NBA championship this season with their Big 3 of Devin Booker, Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal leading the way.

“On the flipside, the Mercury didn’t make the playoffs this year,” Ishbia continued. “Don’t plan on that happening again. They’d be in the playoffs right now and we have the Suns practicing. Let’s go dominate. Let’s build the best Mercury, the best Suns. Let’s dominate together.”

Robert Sarver was the Suns team owner when the $45-million practice facility opened before the season the Suns reached the finals.

Ishbia loves it, he but pointed out how the Suns locker room and the Mercury locker room aren’t the same size. Ishbia bought the Suns and Mercury from Sarver for a record $4 billion.

“It’s not the same environment,” Ishbia said. “That’s not going on with the way we do things. Think about this, this is a great practice facility. It’s one of the best in the league right now that’s going to be just for the Suns. We’re doing to do the exact same thing just for the Mercury."

The Mercury practice facility will have 24/7 access for players and coaches, two practice courts with 10 baskets and several amenities: an “expansive” locker room with “state-of-art technology,” a dedicated chef and kitchen, film, fitness and massage rooms with hydrotherapy including hot and cold pools and underwater treadmills, and a player and family lounge.

“We’re going to create the best environment for the Mercury so it can be on the same pedestal just like the Suns, doing great things and investing in them so we can have the best chance to win WNBA championships by opening it up for the Mercury and making it a great place,” Ishbia said.

The Mercury finished with the WNBA’s worst record last season at 9-31, but having their own facility is a step towards getting the three-time league champions back to familiar winning ways.

“It’s going to be curated towards them,” Bartelstein said. “Anything you could ever need as a player, they’re going to have. From the minute they step in, everything is intentional. That’s their home. That’s where they come every single day. We want our players to be here in-season, out of season getting better and there’s going to be no place better. That’s Mat’s commitment. We’re going to go look at everything. Bring the best of the best here and have players who are going to love going to work every single day.”

Suns and Mercury vice president Anne Meyers Drysdale recognizes the value and importance of the project.

"I'm excited about a new state-of-the-art practice facility for the Phoenix Mercury that Mat Ishbia and Josh Bartelstein are committed to build, that will be equal to the Suns practice facility," the Hall of Famer said. "The Phoenix Mercury winning three WNBA titles with Diana Taurasi being the catalyst for those teams and championships will have a facility that will attract free agents and have sole focus on their needs and times to workout. I hope the players, medical staff, and trainers will all have input on their needs."

As for the business offices, the Suns and Mercury employees, or “team members,” as Ishbia calls them — as he does with his mortgage lending company, United Wholesale Mortgage — will relocate to the campus.

This move will allow the Suns to utilize that space for future endeavors, Ishbia said.

“We’re moving 50,000 square feet out of the arena where our team members work right now and we’re going to build out restaurants or fan experience areas, video game areas, clubs in the arena for our fans,” the billionaire said.

The business areas are designed to create a positive work culture, and will include indoor and outdoor basketball courts, indoor arcade, pickleball court, putting green, workout facility and kitchen filled with complimentary beverages and healthy snacks for team members.

“We’re going to make this the best work environment of any franchise in sports,” Ishbia said. “… It’s all about team members' experience. People want to love where they work. They love being part of the Suns and Mercury right now. How can I make it better? Right now, they’re kind of jumbled up on multiple floors in the arena, parking is not great. It’s complex. It’s not an open environment. A bunch of cubicles. That’s not how you build an organization. We’re building it out the right way from scratch in this new location.”

On top of all that, the campus will include a Suns and Mercury fan store, shop, and visual presentation of the Suns and Mercury’s Ring of Honor.

“They’ve got parking, they can walk to the games,” Ishbia said about team members. “They can get to and from the arena if they need to, but everything is set right there. Amenities matter, but amenities don’t matter as much as the way you treat people and take care of people and make them feel part of the team and part of the company.”

Have opinion about current state of the Suns? Reach Suns Insider Duane Rankin at dmrankin@gannett.com or contact him at 480-787-1240. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, at @DuaneRankin.

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Suns owner to build new Mercury practice space, offices for both teams