RAJ Sports Breaks Ground on First-Ever Dual-Sport Women's Performance Center

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RAJ Sports Breaks Ground on First-Ever Dual-Sport Women's Performance Center

April 22, 2025 - Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA)
Portland News Release


PORTLAND, Ore. - RAJ Sports, owner of Portland Thorns FC and Portland's new WNBA franchise, today broke ground on a state-of-the-art women's dual-sport performance center - the first facility in the world dedicated to serving both a women's NWSL soccer team and a women's WNBA basketball team.

The milestone event was celebrated with a vibrant community gathering, featuring local youth clinics, a DJ set, and remarks from national and state leaders including Oregon Governor Tina Kotek, U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici, Hillsboro Mayor Beach Pace, NWSL Commissioner Jessica Berman as well as RAJ Sports co-owners and CEOs Lisa Bhathal Merage and Alex Bhathal-all signaling broad support for the continued growth and investment in women's sports.

"This facility is for every young girl in Portland and beyond who dreams of playing at the highest level and sees that it's not only possible, but it's happening right here in Portland," said Lisa Bhathal Merage. "Portland is already a city that breathes passion and purpose when it comes to women's sports and with this center we are doubling down on that energy. The future is here and its female, its fearless and it's just getting started."

"We are reimagining the future of professional women's sports, and our vision is for female athletes to benefit from the infrastructure, the visibility and the respect they have always deserved," said Alex Bhathal. "With viewership surging, fans showing up in record numbers and brand alignment stronger than ever, the market is ready for an investment like this. We are proud to invest in this future together with all of you, and by doing so we will further cement Portland as the global epicenter of women's sports."

Beyond its role as a professional training hub, the center is envisioned as a vital community asset that will expand access and opportunity for women and girls in sport throughout the region. Through strategic partnerships, programming, and public engagement, it will foster leadership, visibility, and excellence in women's athletics.

Civic leaders echoed that sentiment during the event:

"This facility represents exactly the type of forward-thinking innovation that defines the state of Oregon, said Oregon Governor Tina Kotek." It's not just about building courts and fields, its about reimagining what is possible for women's professional sports. What strikes me most about this project has been the intentionality of the space, from recovery lounges and hyperbaric therapy to spaces designed specifically for families, every element will reflect a deep understanding of what female athletes need to excel."

Spanning 12 acres in Hillsboro, Oregon, the $75 million first phase of the performance center is part of a larger $150 million multi-phase investment in women's sports infrastructure. The campus will feature more than 63,000 square feet of purpose-built training space. It includes a 17,000-square-foot basketball practice gym, two full-sized soccer pitches, elite strength and conditioning zones, advanced recovery and wellness areas, dedicated rooms for players' families, nutrition-focused dining, and facilities designed to support the holistic development of female athletes.

As the only dual-sport performance center of its kind, the facility is designed to set a new global standard in women's athletic development-integrating elite strength training, sports science, recovery technologies, and lifestyle amenities in a collaborative setting for both the Portland Thorns and Portland's WNBA team.

Players expressed excitement for what the facility will make possible:

"Coming back from knee surgery, having a facility like this - built with our recovery, training, and performance in mind - means everything," said Portland Thorns Forward Morgan Weaver. "As professional athletes, we finally have one place dedicated to our growth, our health, and our future. It's a huge step forward, not just for us, but for the next generation coming up behind us."

Located on a repurposed suburban office campus, the project is an environmentally responsible adaptive reuse initiative led in partnership with owner Workspace Property Trust, a national leader in suburban commercial real estate. The design is being spearheaded by world-renowned architecture firm Populous, with future phases expected to evolve the site into a broader innovation campus for women's performance and recovery.

Construction of the facility marks a pivotal step in realizing the Bhathal Family's long-term vision: to cement Portland as the global epicenter of women's sports, innovation, and equity.

The Portland Thorns and the new WNBA franchise are supported in this development by their Community Game Changer partners First Tech Federal Credit Union, Ring and Alaska Airlines reinforcing a shared vision to elevate women's sports on and off the field.

Fans looking to secure Portland Thorns tickets for the 2025 Season can visit https://www.thorns.com/tickets. Fans who wish to buy Portland WNBA season tickets can do so by placing a $26 deposit at WNBA.com/portland. Full pricing and seat selection for season tickets will be released at a later date. The deposit ensures access to Portland WNBA season tickets when they become available.

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