An Anaheim industrial building is being eyed as a potential practice facility for the National Basketball Association’s Sacramento Kings as negotiations continue on relocating the team here as early as this summer or perhaps a year from now.
American Sports Centers, an indoor sports facility that’s been in Anaheim since 2004, recently signed a deal to expand its already sizeable operations at 1500 S. Anaheim Blvd.
Mission Viejo-based real estate developer Makena Properties owns American Sports Centers and bills it as the country’s largest indoor athletic facility.
Its current 146,000-square-foot space, a block from the Santa Ana (I-5) Freeway, counts dozens of indoor basketball, volleyball and soccer courts.
Volleyball HQ
In addition to hosting tens of thousands of athletes and families each year for league play and tournaments, the center also serves as headquarters for the USA Men’s and Women’s National Volleyball teams.
It’s expanding into nearly another 100,000 square feet in an adjacent property that’s part of the two-building Anaheim Distribution Center, according to Louis Tomaselli, managing partner of Irvine-based brokerage 360 Commercial Partners.
The expansion is one of the largest seen in Orange County’s industrial market in the past year and the latest example of large warehouses being converted into non-traditional uses, said Tomaselli, who represented the landlord, an investment client of New York’s BlackRock Inc.
American Sports’ lease of the new space comes with a renewal of its existing deal. The total comes to 242,000 square feet of space.
The lease is set to start in June and runs for 15 years. Terms of the deal weren’t disclosed.
Other industrial space in the area is being offered for about 40 cents per square foot monthly.
American Sports plans to spend about $4.5 million to refurbish its existing operations and develop the new space into a high-end indoor gymnasium, according to Brad Kelly, president of Makena Properties.
Its current space, which opened in 2004, holds 22 volleyball courts, 16 basketball courts and nine indoor soccer courts as well as space for gymnastics.
The new space should hold nine additional volleyball courts, six basketball courts, and one indoor soccer court, according to Kelly.
The additional basketball courts are likely to be a prime focus of the new space, especially with negotiations to move Sacra-mento’s basketball team to Anaheim.
Practice Site?
The sports center is rumored to be in the running to serve in part as the NBA team’s new practice facility.
The facility is about two miles from Honda Center, which would serve as the basketball team’s home.
Kelly said that American Sports doesn’t have an agreement in place with the NBA team, but would be more than willing to make a deal.
“If it makes economic sense, we’d be interested,” he said.
Anaheim first has to land the basketball team, and the city appears to have its hands full getting that deal done.
Barring and extension, the Kings had until today to file paperwork requesting relocation to Anaheim.
The expanded American Sports site is expected to be a boon for club volleyball, soccer and basketball players.
The complex hosts more than 700,000 players and their families each year, according to Mike Gallups, the facility’s president.
The new addition to the facility—expected to open by October—should bring in an additional 500 visitors a day, according to Kelly.
The center charges about $70 per hour for the use of its courts, according to its website. It often hosts various regional tournaments on weekends.
Former Alstyle Space
American Sports’ initial space in Anaheim previously was used by Alstyle Apparel Inc., and its latest expansion is the result of a more recent shrinking of Alstyle’s local operations.
The company, which makes T-shirts, hats and sweatshirts used by other clothing companies for their own lines, is closing its two remaining manufacturing facilities this month.
The work is being transferred to a new, 700,000-square-foot manufacturing and distribution facility in the Mexican town of Agua Prieta, near the Arizona border.
