The new Chicago Blackhawks training facility being planned for Chicago’s West Side is expected to boost hockey’s profile in the Chicago metropolitan area and become a moneymaking opportunity for the team. 

 

Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Blackhawks owner Rocky Wirtz recently announced details of the high-profile 125,000-square-foot center, which will include two NHL-regulation ice rinks. The building will be primarily for public use, with open skating sessions and hockey league tournaments that should attract a regular stream of visitors. Analysts expect the naming rights to the building to go for $1.5 million to $2 million annually, and possibly more if the Blackhawks continue their winning streak.

 

The team’s recent dominance within the NHL, which has included three Stanley Cup Championships since 2010, should also benefit other businesses affiliated with the team and Mr. Wirtz. The Blackhawks’ official bar program partners with Mr. Wirtz’s beverage distribution business, and the team’s video production department has become Banner Collective, which produces all video and graphics for Wrigley Field.