BYU basketball: Marriott Center Annex officially opens

At long last, the BYU basketball team has a new practice facility. The Marriott Center Annex opened today.

BYU basketball got the chance to show off its new practice facility today, the Marriott Center Annex.

The 38,000 square-foot state-of-the-art practice facility was announced in February 2015. Two years later and the project is complete.

“This is a day of gratitude for me,” BYU Athletic Director Tom Holmoe said in a press release. “I’m grateful to the university administration and the Board of Trustees who were incredibly supportive in our efforts to build this remarkable facility. I’m so thankful for their commitment to excellence.”

The Marriott Center Annex will undoubtedly be a valuable recruiting tool for head coach Dave Rose. Four-star recruit Yoeli Childs said the facility played a pretty substantial role in his signing, and he’ll be the first in a long-line of recruits that liked the sounds of the new facility. Rose had been lobbying for something like this since he took the head coaching position in 2005.

A full replica of the Marriott Center court, a strength and conditioning center, a training room, office suites, meeting rooms and a team lounge and study areas are all within the Annex walls.

The Annex’s main entrance features a BYU basketball Hall of Honor, with pictures, videos and team memorabilia.

“I am very appreciative to the BYU administration, the athletic administration and those who have worked tirelessly to make the new practice facility a reality,” Rose said in a press release. “This facility is a major commitment to our basketball program.”

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The Annex was funded entirely through private donations – including the cash for future site maintenance.

BYU basketball is on the road twice this week. On Thursday the Cougars will play Portland, on Saturday they’ll play Gonzaga.