Michael Jordan was shocked when he visited the dazzling new home of his 23XI NASCAR racing team, where he could play table tennis, air hockey and stack his signature sneakers, among other things.
“Man, oh man,” the NBA legend said during a tour of the 105,000-square-foot stadium in North Carolina.
Jordan co-owns 23XI with driver Denny Hamlin, who helped design the “Airspeed” base in Huntersville.
“You guys earned this, I think it’s awesome,” Jordan told employees at the facility, nodding to the two co-owners. Denny’s trophies, helmets and fire suits are on display in a conference room.
Another contains dozens of Jordan sneakers, stacked in the shape of the number 23. “This one is way better,” Jordan joked as he walked into the room.
Michael Jordan was shocked after visiting the new base of his 23XI NASCAR racing team
The stunning facility includes ping pong, air hockey and stacks of his signature sneakers
There are 45 pairs of designer shoes in the room, all of which Hamlin had stored in his basement. MJ reportedly joked that he would be better off wearing size 13 sneakers.
Some walls at ‘Airspeed’ are painted red in the style of the Chicago Bulls. There are 23 colours used throughout the building, all of which refer to an iconic Jordan sneaker.
Hamlin drew inspiration from NBA and NHL arenas when designing the facility, where the team will take victory on the court.
The driver started making the first sketches about three years ago, after watching a documentary about the Mercedes Formula 1 team.
It took about eight months to complete “Airspeed,” with Hamlin rolling up his sleeves and stocking the coffee room with plates, cutlery and plants, which also includes a ping-pong table and a hockey table.
“They get to feel like an athlete,” Jordan said during his tour. He also told the workers: ‘You keep winning, we keep improving’