Celtics Open Amazing New Practice Facility 'The Auerbach Center'
BOSTON (CBS) -- The Boston Celtics will be practicing in some fancy new digs from now on.
The Celtics officially opened the Auerbach Center at Boston Landing on Tuesday, a 70,000 square foot practice facility named after the team's patriarch, Red Auerbach. It's appropriately nicknamed "Red's House."
The state of the art center features two parquet floors for practice, as well as physical therapy areas, an expanded strength and conditioning facility and lounges. There's even a "nap room" for when players need a snooze after practice, a barber shop, and a putting green. Not too shabby.
Here is everything the Auerbach Center features:
- Two full-sized parquet floor NBA basketball courts
- Sports science lab and performance equipment, including floor-embedded force plates, and other systems for detailed player-performance data collection
- Expanded strength and conditioning, training, and recovery facilities, including a 40-foot exercise pool, hydrotherapy pools, and a float tank
- Medical exam room with GE Medical Imaging and measuring equipment
- Specially attuned energy efficient GE lighting systems
- Full commercial kitchen and nutrition facilities
- Leading edge audio-visual technology throughout the facility
- Best-in-class players' locker rooms, auxiliary men's and women's locker rooms, players' lounge, and nap room
- Expanded media work room, press conference, and broadcast facilities
- Flexible hospitality area designed for community relations activities, partner gatherings, and other guest events
- Enhanced work space for the team's coaching and basketball front office staffs
The team believes the new facility will play a part in luring big-name free agents to the organization in the future.
PHOTOS: Inside 'The Auerbach Center'
One of the coolest features is a 40-foot glass wall enclosing the practice courts, giving commuters on the Mass Pike a great view inside the facility. It offers a chance to kill some time as they sit in gridlock during their morning trek into Boston by checking out the C's 17 championship banners hanging from the rafters.
Much like their old practice facilities in Waltham, "18" was the theme at the Auerbach Center on Tuesday, as the Celtics continue their quest for Banner 18 next season. They even brought over the blank banner as motivation every time players hit the practice floor.
Bill Russell's quote, "My ego demands, for myself, the success of the team," is on the wall inside the locker room, with the franchise's illustrious history featured throughout the facility.
The Celtics have a young roster with championship aspirations, and now they also have a wonderful new practice facility. It sure is good to be green these days.
