Court make-overs funded by $200,000 donation from The Shaquille O’Neal Foundation and longtime partner, Icy Hot
Two recently refurbished basketball courts at the Doolittle Complex located at 951 W Lake Mead Blvd Las Vegas were unveiled yesterday at a ceremony headlined by basketball legend and Las Vegas resident Shaquille O’Neal. Joining him at the event were executives from Icy Hot parent company Sanofi Consumer Healthcare; Mayor Carolyn G. Goodman, city of Las Vegas; and Las Vegas City Councilman Cedric Crear, Ward 5.
The courts, appropriately named The Shaq Courts at Doolittle, were renovated via a donation of $200,000 from The Shaquille O’Neal Foundation and long-time partner Icy Hot, to the Mayor’s Fund for Las Vegas LIFE, a vehicle for corporate and philanthropic partners to support innovative programs that improve quality of life for all Las Vegas residents with a special focus on vulnerable populations.
The basketball court renovation is an initiative of The Shaquille O’Neal Foundation and Icy Hot as part of their “Comebaq Courts” program that refurbishes existing public basketball courts throughout the country to ensure young athletes can get back in the game. To support this effort and raise additional funds, Icy Hot® and The Shaquille O’Neal Foundation hosted the “Icy Hot x NBA 2K22 Charity Game” on e-sports platform Twitch on October 18.
Improvements to The Shaq Courts at Doolittle include new surfacing, custom colors and floor graphics, shade structures, seating areas, new basketball standards and a state-of-the-art Daktronics LED scoreboard. Two special art installations – a life-sized pair of “Shaq” shoes and a six-foot LED lighted basketball – create fun and signature visuals for community enjoyment as well as aesthetic enhancement of the area.
“It’s very rewarding to me on a personal level, as I have lived in Las Vegas and know firsthand the tough times that these areas have gone through in the past,” said O’Neal. “We’re excited to create change in a positive way through the “Comebaq Courts” initiative. Working with Icy Hot, my Foundation strives to create healthy places to play to support the next generation of athletes. It is our hope this community can come together to use this space for years to come.”
“As its name suggests, the Historic Westside is one of the most historically important regions of our city with the Doolittle Complex at its core as a primary gathering place,” said Mayor Carolyn G. Goodman, city of Las Vegas. “We are so grateful to The Shaquille O’Neal Foundation and Icy Hot for their support of this culturally rich and diverse area. With these improvements, the already popular Doolittle basketball courts are about to become even more in-demand.”
“On behalf of the residents of Ward 5, I want to express my sincere gratitude to The Shaquille O’Neal Foundation and its partner, IcyHot, for their generous donation,” said Las Vegas City Councilman Cedric Crear, Ward 5. “The improvements to the Doolittle basketball courts are huge difference-makers that also help to build a sense of community pride. I am looking forward to seeing our kids experience the new courts first-hand. Shooting hoops at Doolittle is about to take on a whole new meaning!”
Following the unveiling, residents of the surrounding West Las Vegas neighborhood enjoyed a community celebration that included the finals of a 3-on-3 basketball tournament organized by the city of Las Vegas Parks & Recreation Department and funded by a donation to The Mayor’s Fund from The Howard Hughes Corporation, developer of the Summerlin master-planned community and its urban center of Downtown Summerlin.
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