It was their first chance to court a player they really wanted, and what better way than to show him what is being described as one of the best facilities in the NFL, built with Paul Allen’s $60 million.

As the story goes, Jones was ready to sign on the dotted line almost immediately.

His teammates got to see why on Wednesday afternoon. For the first time this season, the entire squad traveled 12 miles south of their current practice facility in Kirkland to get a sneak peak at their new home.

They won’t officially move in until Aug. 18, but Wednesday was a chance for the appetites of players, front-office personnel and select VIPs to be whetted.

“It’s the best. It’s a great feeling,” said Pro Bowl tackle Walter Jones. “I had been here with the Kingdome, (and) I’ve been here with the new stadium, so to be able to be blessed to see this, it’s great.”

It was difficult for players to concentrate as they gawked at the massive size of the new structure, which includes an 88,000 square foot indoor field housed in what looks like an airplane hangar. Overall, the facility has more than 225,000 square feet, compared to 41,000 square feet at the current facility, which is leased from Northwest University.

The new facility includes a locker room that is three times bigger than the current one and has lockers that are twice as big; a training room that is more than twice as big, and has amenities like an indoor pool for rehabilitation and hot tubs; during training camp, the players currently are sitting in hot tubs in the team’s parking lot.

“It’s probably the nicest facility I’ve ever been in,” quarterback Matt Hasselbeck said. “Everything about it was kind of fun and exciting.”

Outside, there are three pristine fields parallel to Lake Washington, with the sun glinting off the blue water and million-dollar homes dotting the opposite shoreline. The team is building a dock so that employees can boat to work if they want. During practice Wednesday, a bald eagle flew up and down the banks while a cerulean 12th Man flag flapped in the breeze.

“This place is crappy; I can’t practice here,” defensive lineman Craig Terrill jokingly told assistant coach John Jamison.

Seahawks CEO Tod Leiweke said the three-story building, which has been under construction for two years, was his top priority since taking over the organization in 2003 because it was too difficult having the team’s business operations at Qwest Field while its football operations were across the lake.

Now, different facets of the organization can have meetings without the hour-long delay it took for employees to come together.

Leiweke said the team considered sites in Bothell and Issaquah, but they ultimately figured it would be more appealing to players to drive 15 minutes from the airport to the facility rather than an hour to the other locations.

The building still needs some finishing touches in the next two weeks, including weights being moved into a weight room that has two massive garage doors opening onto the fields.

Regardless, the appeal was apparent. Under a white tent, Leiweke, general manager Tim Ruskell and coach Mike Holmgren made introductory remarks to the folks on hand who will be able to come to the team’s full training camp next summer.

“The game has changed,” said Holmgren, recalling his days in a spartan building in San Francisco. “The money has changed; the stadiums have changed. The NFL is a really big business, and I’m very proud of our city … everyone that put this whole thing together and allowed us to do this. It’s fabulous.”

Injury report

The Seahawks placed linebacker Wesly Mallard on injured reserve with a knee injury and signed former UW cornerback Derrick Johnson. However, Johnson injured his toe early in practice and never returned.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

CAMP KIRKLAND

Camo look

During practice Wednesday afternoon, none of the players wore helmets and most sported camouflage baseball caps with a Seahawks logo on the front. None of the offensive linemen wore the caps.

Mora gets assertive

Defensive backs coach Jim Mora was as vocal as he has been, yelling at backs Kevin Hobbs and Jamar Adams during the afternoon practice for repeating mistakes they had covered in a film session earlier in the day.

Substitution drill

The morning practice at the spanking new Virginia Mason Athletic Center in Renton was followed by the team’s mock game substitutions, which take place on Saturday mornings during the regular season. The Seahawks are flying to Minnesota this morning for Friday’s game against the Vikings and didn’t have time to do the mock game at any other time.

The knees don’t have it

Mike Holmgren said Floyd Womack and Jordan Babineaux, who both suffered knee injuries in the scrimmage last Saturday, are out for seven to 10 days.

Nice bounce

During a special teams drill for recovering onside kicks, Olindo Mare booted a ball right at Kelin Johnson. At the last instant, the ball popped up and smashed Johnson in the facemask.

Frank Hughes, The News Tribune