Advocare Sports Performance Center at The Greenbrier
The Greenbrier partnered with Butler and Long Construction to design and deliver a complete NFL-level training facility in just 100 days. Butler’s structural expertise, coordinated design-build approach and precise execution enabled a high-performance, multi-use complex that aligns with the resort’s historic architecture.
Project
Overview
Each year, the Super Bowl ends the NFL season with a new champion.
For teams like the New Orleans Saints, preparations for the next season begin months earlier, and in this case, the preparations were sparked by a conversation far from Louisiana.
During the PGA’s Greenbrier Classic, Saints then-head coach Sean Payton met Greenbrier owner Jim Justice, who suggested moving part of the team’s preseason camp from New Orleans heat to the cooler climate of West Virginia.
By March 2014, the idea became a plan. The challenge was immediate: The Greenbrier needed a facility capable of supporting a professional football team with camp only months away.
To meet an aggressive 100-day timeline, The Greenbrier reached out to Butler Manufacturing® knowing Butler could deliver proven quality within a design-build environment. Butler connected the resort with Long Construction Management, a trusted Butler Builder® based in Lexington, Ky. Within hours of arriving on-site, Long Construction began working through requirements and space planning.
After three weeks of coordinated design work, the plan was finalized.
“Long Construction eagerly attacked the design phase and understood the immediacy of the project. It was a 100-day sprint to preseason camp, and we didn’t have extra time to waste,” said Jeff Kmiec of The Greenbrier.
A professional football operation requires more than a field. The final design included meeting rooms, weight rooms, coaches’ offices, medical training areas, dining facilities and full team support spaces. With less than a month allocated to design, the project moved directly into execution.
Because the facility included a second-floor mezzanine and a non-standard structural layout, Long Construction worked closely with Butler to engineer a solution outside typical systems construction. Butler’s structural expertise and manufacturing precision were central to keeping the project on track and aligned with the required schedule.
The key to meeting tight timelines is to make sure the proper teams are in place. From Butler to the subcontract team to the erector teams, this was one of the smoothest projects we’ve done.
Construction teams maintained a 24-hour work cycle. Coordination among Long Construction, the structural erection crew and multiple utility providers ensured no downtime and kept each phase moving.
“The key to meeting tight timelines is to make sure the proper teams are in place. From Butler to the subcontract team to the erector teams, this was one of the smoothest projects we’ve done,” said Linden Long of Long Construction.
By early July, the transformation was complete. In just over 90 days, a bare site became a fully operational training facility built to support a professional roster and staff. The final structure met the Saints’ technical requirements while integrating with the historic architecture of The Greenbrier.
“The look of this building fits in so well with the historic structures and architecture of The Greenbrier resort. It’s remarkable that a pre-engineered building was constructed so quickly, on budget and still looks like traditional construction,” said Kmiec.
When the Saints are not in residence, the AdvoCare Sports Performance Center serves as a multi-functional training and rehabilitation facility. Three regional universities have explored holding spring practices or exhibition games on-site. The building’s therapy suites, hydrotherapy pool and professional-grade support spaces also position it as a potential rehabilitation center for athletes across sports. Even the U.S. Ski Team has evaluated it for offseason training.
Regardless of which athletes arrive throughout the year, the facility provides access to a high-performance environment in one of the most distinctive settings in the country.
