Sky push practice facility opening to November, will not move in this season

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The https://chicago.suntimes.com/chicago-sky" target="_blank" >Sky have another new timeline for completion of their practice facility in Bedford Park: this time it's November.

That means they will not move in this season, as co-owner Nadia Rawlinson and CEO Adam Fox previously said they would.

Instead, the Sky will practice at Wintrust Arena for the remainder of the season.

“It’s disappointing,” center Elizabeth Williams, who is also secretary of the players union, told the Sun-Times. “I think on their end it is as well because they had expectations for us and brought us in with those expectations as well.

On their end, not being able to get that done sucks.”

Players were informed of the decision on Thursday, and general manager Jeff Pagliocca broke the news to reporters Friday.

He cited construction challenges, including supply-chain and material delays.

The facility has been delayed before due to weather and expansion.

Pagliocca said the facility could be operational before the season ends, but the team decided it did not make sense to move into the building while construction was still ongoing.

“It mattered a lot to me that we gave the experience Day 1, not just components of it,” Pagliocca said. “When the wow factor hits, we want it to hit.”

The Sky began the season practicing at UIC, then moved to Loyola before shifting practices to their home arena.

Williams said there are at least some advantages to practicing where the Sky play.

Wintrust also has a number of recovery resources available, including hot and cold tubs, a training room and a weight room.

Still, it's another missed timeline for a facility that players were told they would use this season.