For many, envisioning professional hockey in the Las Vegas desert is a difficult task. Others have had the opportunity to visit T-Mobile Arena, the home ice of the NHL’s newest franchise. To see it, tucked behind the New York, New York Hotel-Casino right off The Strip is to realize the vision of Vegas Golden Knights owner Bill Foley. Professional hockey at the highest level is going to be a very real, very successful thing in Southern Nevada. In October we will get our first chance to see the Golden Knights in action. As that day draws nearer, other important elements of the franchise are beginning to take shape.
On Wednesday, Murray Craven provided Vegas fans with a tour of the Golden Knights practice facility. Many years ago Craven was an NHLer himself, a veteran of 1,071 games with the Detroit Red Wings, Philadelphia Flyers, Hartford Whalers, Vancouver Canucks, Chicago Blackhawks and San Jose Sharks. More recently he was a golfing buddy of Golden Knights owner Bill Foley. Today he’s a Senior Vice President responsible for overseeing the building of the NHL’s newest practice facility, while pulling double duty as a Golden Knights scout.
On a beautiful morning in Vegas, Senior Vice President Murray Craven is taking us on a tour of our future practice facility. #BoldInGold pic.twitter.com/OwYKIn8CgX
— Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) January 11, 2017
Practice Facility Designed for Public Use
For those unfamiliar with Las Vegas, the Golden Knights new practice facility will be located approximately 15 miles west of T-Mobile Arena, a twenty-minute drive when traffic cooperates. Locals know the area as Downtown Summerlin, and it’s lovely.
The state-of-the-art facility will feature two sheets of ice that are NHL regulation size for both team and public use. Probably not at the same time, though. That would get dangerous. Very cool, all the same. A gym for public use is also being included, and there will be a second level that looks down onto the ice.
This facility won’t only be for the Golden Knights. There will also be a public gym & special viewing areas. #BoldInGold pic.twitter.com/Ezcjh4rGB1
— Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) January 11, 2017
Working out With a View
It can be hard to visualize the finished product, but the size of the facility alone looks to be impressive. Craven praises the views that the building will provide, and also anticipates that resources like the one being built in Summerlin will aid the Golden Knights in attracting coveted free agents.
Craven shows us the space that will eventually become the players’ fitness center. #BoldInGold pic.twitter.com/KEpGbwu89t
— Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) January 11, 2017
“This is 2017 NHL,” Craven said. “This is going to be a place that players are going to want to come to and stay at,” Craven said in an interview with Dan Marrazza. “In the past, we came and got the heck out. Here they’ll have all the amenities of home. They’ll have a beautiful lounge area, beautiful area to have breakfast and lunch, and work out in.
“I could see players coming in here at 8:00 in the morning and leaving at 2 or 3 in the afternoon. Because it’s going to be that inviting. We’re trying to create that culture where we’re going to put in that extra time, because this is going to be an exciting place to be in.”
The Summerlin facility will also provide a home base for the Vegas Golden Knights front office. Craven is pleased with the progress so far, praising the construction team, and this week the first steel will be poured on site. More pictures of the building process in Downtown Summerlin can be found at VegasGoldenKnights.com