Alabama expected to break ground on $58.6 million basketball practice facility in Fall 2024

Alabama basketball has a new practice facility in the works, and athletics director Greg Byrne provided more details during Thursday’s University of Alabama System Board of Trustees meeting. The university is expected to break ground on the proposed $58.6 million facility in Fall 2024, according to BOL’s Charlie Potter.

The cost breakdown for the new facility includes nearly $37 million from future general revenue bonds and $20 million from the Crimson Standard Cash fund, according to a breakdown presented to the board. Another $1.7 million will come out of university central reserves.

The goal, according to Byrne, will be to open the new facility by the time the 2026 season gets underway. The proposal includes a nearly 49,000 square foot building in the southeast corner of Coleman Coliseum and a renovation of nearly 19,000 square feet inside the arena.

As part of the plan, the building will include new sports medicine spaces, film and team meeting rooms, locker rooms, lounges and coaching staff areas for both the men’s and women’s programs. In addition, the men’s program will get a new weight room.

The next step will be for the Board of Trustees to vote on the facility at its Friday meeting.

“The expansion and renovation of the existing footprint in the southeast corner of Coleman Coliseum … will provide the optimal space for both our men’s and women’s basketball programs to train and develop,” Byrne said. “Each team will have a dedicated practice gym and weight room space, which is where our programs spend the majority of their time. Meaning this project will have an incredible impact on both of our basketball programs.

“Coach [Nate] Oats and Coach [Kristy] Curry are extremely supportive of this plan as a positive and valuable next step for their respective teams, and they’ve both expressed this is the highest priority at this time and the facility will meet an immediate need as we continue to work towards long-term priorities for our basketball programs.”

The investment in Alabama’s basketball programs come after two impressive seasons during the 2023-24 school year. Oats and the men’s basketball team made its first-ever run to the Final Four, and the Crimson Tide have plenty of key pieces returning next year. The women’s team, meanwhile, went 24-10 this past season en route to the second round of the NCAA Tournament for the second time in four years and the 10th time in program history.