Reason Why AEW Training Facility Plans Fell Through

AEW was quietly working on launching its own training facility—but according to new backstage reports, the plug was pulled before it could take shape.

During a recent Q&A session, Fightful’s Sean Ross Sapp revealed that AEW had discussions about creating a dedicated training center earlier this year. At one point, Ace Steel was rumored to be in line to lead the operation before his departure from the company, but things never moved forward.

AEW currently has access to a facility with a ring for talent to work in, but the new plan was much bigger—a full-fledged development system akin to what WWE operates with NXT and the Performance Center.

According to internal talk, the proposed location was Asheville, North Carolina, and it wasn’t just about a ring and some weights. AEW was reportedly eyeing a star-studded coaching roster, including:

Dax Harwood, Cash Wheeler, Beth Phoenix, and Adam Copeland—a stacked team of veterans who were expected to help refine and develop the next generation of AEW stars.

The facility would’ve marked a major step toward AEW creating a structured pipeline for talent development. But in the end, it came down to one thing: money.

The internal rumor was that the cost associated with building and operating the facility ultimately killed the plan.

One surprising nugget in all of this? Sting’s son, Steven Borden, was reportedly headed to Asheville to train—suggesting the plans were far enough along that some talent had already been given direction to prepare for it.

While the dream of an AEW training facility in Asheville is currently shelved, the interest is clearly there. With the right budget and timing, this concept could very well return down the line—especially as AEW continues to grow its roster and expand its programming.

Would you like to see AEW open its own developmental system like WWE’s Performance Center? And should veterans like Beth Phoenix and Adam Copeland lead it? Share your thoughts in the comments.