The Chicago Bulls today announced that the team has committed to move its practice facility to downtown Chicago from its current location in Deerfield, Ill. The team has practiced at the Sheri L. Berto Center since 1992.

During recent conversations, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel pitched Bulls Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf on the idea to relocate the team’s practice facility to a downtown Chicago location.

“Mayor Emanuel has done a tremendous job promoting investment in the City of Chicago,” said Jerry Reinsdorf. “The Mayor stressed that the Bulls brand is important to the city, nationally and internationally, and that the Bulls represent the spirit and competitive grit of Chicago. He thought centralizing our team assets inside the city limits would be a show of our ongoing commitment to Chicago. We have been contemplating how to address the growth limitations of our practice facility for awhile, so the Mayor’s timing and ours seems to make sense.”

The team is in the process of exploring a variety of site locations throughout the city. A specific timetable has not yet been established for the project, which will be privately funded.

“We have been happy at the Berto for many years,” said Bulls President and COO Michael Reinsdorf. “However, for us, the time is right for a move from both a basketball and a business standpoint. Our basketball operations group has been incredibly resourceful, but there is no longer space available to grow where we are now. And, strategically, we are taking a more integrated approach to our business, and decreasing the physical distance between our two main facilities will naturally create more opportunities for collaboration among all departments.”

The team’s current facility, the Berto Center, has hosted the majority of team practices, gameday shootarounds and summer workouts for the last 20 years. The building is also the home of the Bulls’ coaching and basketball operations staff offices.

Didn't I hear something about adding an attachment to the UC? That'd only make too much sense, and would make that area that much more attractive for the supposed development to happen nearby. You could run kids' camps and everything else there.

I wonder where it will end up? There are a few places that would be perfect on the near west side, or even in southern downtown. Heck there is a wide open spot south of Congress right on the river that would be perfect.

I hope it's called the Berto Center as well...it was always a nice sentiment.

It probably won't be, just for the sake of differentiating it from the old facility.

This makes me a sad panda. It was always a really nice thought by the "Unloyal" Reinsdorf

Who is this Berto fellow??

It’s said behind every great man is a great woman. For Chicago Bulls and White Sox chairman Jerry Reinsdorf, it was Des Plaines resident, the late Sheri Berto.
Berto was Reinsdorf’s assistant for about 20 years until she passed away in 1991. She held such a special place among Reinsdorf, his family, and the Bulls and Sox organizations that he had the Bulls practice facility in Deerfield named after Berto.

However, after 20 years, the Bulls will no longer be practicing at the Sheri L. Berto Center.

Reinsdorf announced the news earlier last week. The team will relocate to a bigger location in Chicago, which is yet to be determined.

“[Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel] approached me and asked me to consider moving back into the city,” Reinsdorf told the Journal & Topics Newspapers. “We were already thinking that we needed more space. We were looking around in the suburbs, but it seemed so important to him to have us in city. So I thought we should support him because he’s doing such a wonderful job.”

Before the Berto Center, the Bulls practiced on a single court at the Multiplex health club in Deerfield. The organization than began constructing the Berto Center, but that was not the facility's original name.

Reinsdorf had no idea on what to call the facility, but then the unexpected passing of Berto occurred.

“After the tragedy, her memory was fresh in my mind. So I decided it would be a great way to commemorate her,” Reinsdorf said.
But if Berto was alive today, Reinsdorf probably would’ve never heard the end of her displeasure with such a thing.

“Sheri probably would’ve been mad at Jerry for doing it,” said Berto's husband Graziano, who owns Carlucci Italian restaurant in Rosemont. “She wasn’t a show person. She dealt with a lot of stars and public figures, but she didn’t like being in the spotlight or showing off.”

The only time Berto did enjoy the spotlight was her birthday. It would be an almost week long celebration for her birthday, Reinsdorf recalls.

The new Bulls practice facility in Chicago will most likely not be named after Berto, but there will probably be some sort of special memorial for her inside, Reinsdorf said.

http://www.journal-topics.com/sports/artic...19bb30f31a.html

Next to River City Condos?? I'd love that, whenever they settle their lawsuit at River City I'll be working security there. There's a huge lot next door and just past the bridge is an even bigger lot.

There used to be a Bulls doctor in River City before so they're familiar with the area (obviously).

Yep, that's the place, right there on the river.

I can only hope, I used to work at River City (and will go back after their lawsuit is over) so I'm still in contact with the guys up there, I'll see if they've heard any rumors. If it is the place you better believe I'm gonna try to get some autographs and potentially see if there's any kind of work I can do up there before of after my shifts.