On July 9, Town Hall Los Angeles members were given the unique opportunity to tour the UCLA Health Training Center, the Los Angeles Lakers’ state-of-the-art training facility. The tour was graciously lead by Lisa Estrada, VP of Facilities and Building Operations. Adding to the full VIP experience was Jessica Elliott, Game Day Entertainment Manager, and Kiesha Nix, Executive Director of the Lakers Youth Foundation, who joined the tour as well.

The tour began in the spacious viewing area above the facility’s two full-size courts where members were able to watch Lakers players as they trained for their upcoming season. Among them were starting players: Rajon Rondo, and Kyle Kuzma, as well as head coach, Luke Walton.

The facility was built just over a year ago, in an effort to bring the entire Lakers organization together under one roof. The building is designed so that the administrative and business offices flank the basketball courts, with the idea of keeping the emphasis on the game. The training center offers players the best in sports equipment and rehabilitation, with everything from upgraded training, weight, and conditioning rooms, to on-court smart boards. An important goal in the center’s design was to make the building feel like a second home for players. Boasting a full commercial kitchen and barber shop, it’s hard to see why anyone would want to leave.

Mrs. Estrada also pointed out the center’s emphasis on staying green. The building is Certified LEED Platinum, and run partially by solar panels. For the 2018-2019 season, the facility will also be home to the South Bay Lakers, the organization’s G-League team. The South Bay games offer a cheaper, more intimate alternative for families wanting to watch a basketball game.

During the tour, members were able to pose with the Lakers championship trophies, as well as look at the iconic championship rings. Plus, they had an exclusive look at the room where all the draft picks and major decisions for the organization are made, what Mrs. Estrada refers to as the “war room.”

At the end of the tour, all guests were gifted an official LA Lakers glass paperweight, as a souvenir for their time spent at the center.

{L to R} Kyle Langan, Morgan Paden, Kathy Richards, Marian Shima