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Jam breaks ground on $1 million facility

Team also announces new affiliation with NBA's Orlando Magic

BY STEPHEN LYNCH, Special to The Californian | Thursday, Jun 12 2008 10:45 PM

Last Updated: Friday, Jun 13 2008 2:20 PM

After two seasons of practicing at various sites throughout Kern County, the Bakersfield Jam is getting accommodations befitting an NBA team.

Thursday morning the NBA Development League franchise officially broke ground on a 20,000-square-foot, $1 million, state-of-the art practice facility to be built adjacent to Jam headquarters at 1400 Norris Road.

"It's a groundbreaking moment not only for the Bakersfield Jam and the city of Bakersfield but the NBA Developmental League and minor league basketball in general," said D-League President Dan Reed, who along with numerous local and state dignitaries was on hand for the event.

The facility will hold a NBA regulation court, men's and women's locker rooms, a training room, a player's lounge, a kitchen, a conference room, a media room, a computer lab and offices upstairs.

"A facility likes this with 24-hour access and top-notch facilities means that our players will have the ability to improve their games, Reed said. "And that's very important when an NBA team is considering whether to assign a player to a D-League team. It's very important when players are considering signing with us and is core to our mission."

Construction on the building is scheduled to be completed by Nov. 15, just in time for the start of the new season, according to Jam managing partner David Higdon.

"I think it really shows the ownership's dedication to developing players and the franchise," said Orlando Magic scout Greg Stratton, who was also on hand for the groundbreaking.

As part of the ceremony the Jam announced that the Magic would join the Golden State Warriors as the team's 2008-09 NBA affiliates.

"NBA teams want to know when they send players to their NBA D-League affiliates that they will be taken care of," Reed said. "I think what the Jam are showing to all NBA teams, certainly the Orlando Magic and the Golden State Warriors, are the fact that their players will be well taken care of and will come back better than when they left."

While the Jam will be the primary tenants of the new building, several youth programs in the community will also use the facility.

"On this side of town where we're at there's a big need for a community center, a place for kids to go maybe after school and have a computer lab and do some homework and shoot some baskets," said Jam managing partner David Higdon.

According to Vance Palm, Jam vice president of communications, the team is already fielding serious inquiries to the naming rights of the facility.

"This is Bakersfield truly setting the bar for the NBA Developmental League," Reed said.

"I know this is going to be a great facility for the Jam and for the community, and for the NBA Developmental League. It furthers our mission of delivering value and to be the best developers of talent in the world."