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The Honolulu Advertiser
Updated at 8:37 a.m., Tuesday, November 18, 2008

USA Basketball to move from Colorado to Arizona

Associated Press

GLENDALE, Ariz. — USA Basketball is moving its headquarters from Colorado Springs, Colo. to the Phoenix suburb of Glendale, adding to the city's growing roster of sports facilities.

The Glendale City Council on Tuesday approved a memorandum of understanding for the project, which will include USA Basketball's executive offices, a multi-court training facility and a 150-room hotel.

The complex will be adjacent to the Phoenix Coyotes' Jobing.com Arena and University of Phoenix Stadium, home to the Arizona Cardinals and the Fiesta Bowl.

"The amenities which will be available at our headquarters and on the campus are distinctive and high-end, and will greatly expand our capacity to contribute to the overall growth of our sport," said outgoing USA Basketball president Val Ackerman, who led relocation efforts.

USA Basketball is the national governing body for teams that represent the United States in the Olympics and other international competitions. The new facility will be the primary training site for all U.S. national teams, and it also is expected to play host to year-round basketball competitions.

USA Basketball had been headquartered in Colorado Springs, home of the U.S. Olympic Committee. The group announced last year it would consider moving so it could consolidate its facilities.

Louisville and Colorado Springs had been the other finalists in the search for a new USA Basketball home.

Citing a study by Elliot D. Pollack & Company, the City of Glendale said the move would generate a 25-year economic impact of $24 million.

Former Phoenix Suns owner Jerry Colangelo, who put together the 2008 Olympic gold medal-winning team, was instrumental in the move. Colangelo was recently elected chairman of USA Basketball's board of directors.

The U.S. Olympic Committee also considered moving out of Colorado Springs but announced in March it would stay after the city agreed to put together a $53 million deal for a headquarters and training center.