The University of Kentucky Board of Trustees has approved entry into a predesign phase for a new complex anchored by a men’s basketball practice facility. The proposed complex will also include a UK HealthCare sports medicine and orthopedic center and sports-related research space, combining research, academics and sports facilities.
University officials believe the project will enhance the institution’s academic and medical training profile in addition to its reputation in basketball. No final budget has been established. The planning period is expected to last four to six months. During that time schematic floor plans, conceptual renderings and a rough cost estimate will be developed.
The new facility would allow the Joe Craft Center, built in 2007, to be repurposed for women’s sports and integrated with the recently renovated Memorial Coliseum. Kentucky’s vision for the complex appears more ambitious than many SEC peer facilities.
For example, Alabama is investing approximately $58 million in a new practice and player development facility adjacent to Coleman Coliseum. LSU already maintains a practice facility that is shared by men’s and women’s basketball and includes full-size gyms, video production capabilities, training rooms, lounges and coach offices.
Kentucky intends to combine practice courts, training areas, and coach offices with medical care research and potentially community health services under a single roof. The plan also ties into a broader sports-adjacent district around Kroger Field.
If the project proceeds as envisioned, it could raise the standard for athletic and medical training facilities across the SEC and NCAA. University officials will provide updates on the project as more details become available.
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