Capitals Prepare for a Move to the Penthouse

It has a view of the Washington Monument, a modern exercise room and sauna, secure parking and is accessible via Metro.

Sound like a classified ad for a luxury condo? It's actually a description of the Washington Capitals' new practice facility and headquarters being built atop a parking garage attached to Ballston Common Mall in Arlington.

Team officials hope to begin moving into the $42.8 million building late next month, which for the first time will put the organization's corporate offices and training site under the same roof.

"It was very important to us that this be first class and state-of-the-art," said George Parr, the Capitals' senior director of operations. "It's for our fans, it's for our players and it's for everyone who works for the Capitals."

When construction began in March 2005, the hope was to have the facility completed by May 2006. But the project fell behind schedule, in part due to complications related to building on top of an existing structure.

The delay means the Capitals will be forced to move in during the season, which team officials acknowledge is less than ideal. But General Manager George McPhee and others say they are confident it's going to be worth the trouble. For one, the organization will no longer be spread across the region -- practicing in Odenton, Md., playing games downtown at Verizon Center and headquartered at another location a few blocks away.

"Having everyone in one building will make everything far more efficient and productive," McPhee said.

The Capitals' practice home since 1991 has been Piney Orchard Ice Arena, a modest rink in Anne Arundel County. Players occasionally complained about the ice quality. The weight and training rooms were cramped. Front office staff often had to choose between making a morning meeting downtown and tending to business at Piney Orchard. Everyone grumbled about the lack of a decent cell phone signal.

Those gripes won't apply to the Capitals' new home, which was funded by Arlington County through the sale of bonds and is going to be leased long term to the team.

The building sits more than eight stories above North Glebe Road and North Randolph Street, and will house two NHL size rinks, the team's entire front office, a media room as well as the front offices for the WNBA's Washington Mystics. The Mystics will continue to practice at Verizon Center. The main rink has seating for 1,200 and a scoreboard that hangs over center ice.

Capitals owner Ted Leonsis's Lincoln Holdings LLC also owns the Mystics.

There's also a spacious weight and fitness room, athletic-training and medical facilities, locker room and lounge areas, a theater-style classroom and a high-tech video room.