Tampa Bay Lightning owner and chairman Jeff Vinik announced Thursday he will invest six million dollars in the teams exclusive practice facility, the Ice Sports Forum.The money will help create a brand new locker room and training facilities for the team. Lightning CEO Steve Griggs was excited about the future potential the investment will bring.
"We talk about world class all the time and working with ISF owner Tom Bradley it was the logical thing to do and helps create a class environment for our players and our coaches.
Bradley will invest an additional five hundred thousand dollars which is all part of a ten year lease extension the two sides agreed too that will run thru 2026-27. The Lightning will break ground on the expansion of the Ice Sports Forum in September with the project scheduled to be done sometime next spring. The Lightning will add a new 18,000-square foot addition to the current training facility which is approximately 5,500 square feet. The new addition will feature all new team spaces including a locker room, weight room, training room, dedicated press room and an expanded player lounge.
Lightning VP/GM Steve Yzerman is excited about what the new changes will mean to players presently and in the future of the organization.
"I think for the young kids coming in and even our veteran players they are really going to appreciate it. It will make a nice first impression on them".
The Ice Sports Forum has been the home of the Lightning since 1997. For comparison, Amalie Arena is approximately 14,500 square feet and with new addition to the ISF, the Lightning's new practice digs will total more then 25,000 square feet when it is all said and done.