Columbus Crew SC on Monday celebrated a groundbreaking on the OhioHealth Performance Center, the club's new training facility scheduled to open in the summer of 2021.
The facility will feature a dynamic 42,000 square feet, first-in-class facility for the Crew's complete first-team and academy soccer operations. It is being built on the site of the club's existing MAPFRE Stadium and adjacent to a new City of Columbus community sports park.
The Crew are set to move their gameday operations to a new downtown stadium, also due to open next summer.
“We are excited that construction on the OhioHealth Performance Center has officially begun,” Crew SC president and GM Tim Bezbatchenko said in a statement. “Having a state-of-the-art training facility means the players will have a truly optimal professional environment, allowing them to continuously improve their performance on the pitch while also providing services, equipment and facilities to improve aspects of their game off the field and outside of training. Furthermore, it enables us to provide a holistic, 360 degree approach to player care and development.”
The new club headquarters will feature a first team locker room and film room, as well as additional player and performance areas, a player lounge, sleep/recovery room, weight room, training room, and hydrotherapy area. A full-service kitchen and dining area, used by Crew soccer operations staff, will also be included, as well as specific locker rooms, lounges, training and equipment rooms for the Crew academy. There will also be a state-of-the-art media room and an in-house production room.
The facility will also feature two first team natural grass fields, supported by hydronic heating and SubAir systems; one natural grass field and artificial turf for Academy use; and a seasonal bubble over the stadium field.
