The Los Angeles Sparks have found their future home in El Segundo, where they plan to build a 55,000-square-foot headquarters and training facility slated to open in 2027.
For the three-time WNBA champions, it marks the first purpose-built home in the team’s 28-year history and comes with a $150 million price tag, the largest single investment in women’s sports to date, the team says.
For El Segundo, the deal marks the fifth professional sports team to establish their headquarters in the city, bolstering Los Angeles County's reputation as the nation's sports capital.
The move “reinforces El Segundo’s status as a premier destination for professional sports," according to a statement from Mayor Chris Pimentel. In addition to the Sparks, the city is home to the headquarters of the NFL's Los Angeles Chargers; the NHL's Los Angeles Kings; the NBA's Los Angeles Lakers; and Major League Rugby's California Legion.
It builds on momentum from last year's Bolt development in the city, a $100 million, 145,000-square-foot training complex for the Chargers on a 14-acre site once used for aerospace and office operations.
“In three years, we’ve attracted the Los Angeles Chargers and the Sparks to El Segundo, proving this small city has tremendous appeal,” said a statement from Richard Lundquist, CEO of Continental Development Corp., which has been a major landlord in the seaside town since 1972.
The Sparks’ facility joins a broader wave of pro sports teams investing in dedicated real estate in Southern California. The Rams have announced plans for a sprawling campus in the San Fernando Valley. The $10 billion project aims to be a community gathering hub with "publicly accessible open spaces, new entertainment venues, a retail village, and residential offerings,” said Stanley Kroenke, Rams owner and chairman and CEO of the Kroenke Organization, in a statement.
Home court
The Sparks facility is planned inside Continental Development Corp.’s Continental Park near Rosecrans Avenue. The project will include gyms, spas, training areas and community space where fans can shop and meet players. Developers haven’t said whether an existing building will be repurposed or demolished to make way for the project.
Transwestern’s Sports & Entertainment Group advised on the Sparks’ land acquisition and is overseeing development. Gensler is heading design, and said the facility is intended to feel like a second home for players. Studio Blitz, a women-run commercial design firm, is heading the team’s new business headquarters within the building.
For the Sparks, this project is more than a brick-and-mortar investment. Until now, they were one of just three WNBA teams without a practice facility either built or underway, a disadvantage in attracting players and staff.
As the WNBA continues to grow, modern facilities are becoming the price of playing the game — not just for performance, but for visibility and fan engagement, Christine Monjer, president of the Los Angeles Sparks, said in a statement. She said El Segundo is home to a "vibrant sports family" and is the "perfect place for the Sparks to build our future."
It's not the only WNBA team with a new facility. The Las Vegas Aces debuted a 64,000-square-foot facility in 2023, while the Phoenix Mercury opened a $100 million, 58,000-square-foot complex in July. The Golden State Valkyries broke ground on their 38,600-square-foot space last year.
Located 18 miles from downtown Los Angeles, El Segundo has a favorable tax structure and has long lured major employers like Mattel, the Los Angeles Times and the U.S. Air Force’s Space Systems Command. The city recently drew new regional headquarters from The Toy Association and global media agency Canvas Worldwide as well.