As Newtown Athletic Club (NAC), Newtown, PA, celebrated the grand opening of its $2.6 million NAC Sports Training Center on Jan. 12, the company also is nearing a milestone. The NAC expects to reach membership capacity by the end of March.
The training center is the second stage of a three-stage plan to expand the footprint of the NAC. The first phase in the expansion occurred in early 2012 with a 12,000-square-foot cardio floor expansion. In May, the NAC will open the final phase, which is its outdoor pool resort complex. That complex will feature water slides, an adult-only resort pool, a zero depth pool, a lazy river and an oversized whirlpool. It also will have a separate entry and concessions for pool patrons.
Partly in response to these additions, the NAC's membership has grown during the past year and will reach capacity of 5,000 memberships (about 12,000 to 13,000 people) by the end of March, according to Linda Mitchell, director of marketing and public relations for the NAC.
About 700 people attended the opening of the sports training center, which will be overseen by Director Josh Tyler. The 41,000-square-foot training center includes a 30,000-square-foot indoor athletic sports arena with turf that is available for rental to local sports teams, organizations and tournaments. The facility will be the new home of the NAC's Big Leagues Academy, Rock Starz All-Stars Cheerleading and the NAC Gymnastics Team. The opening was attended by U.S. Congressman Mike Fitzpatrick and Newtown Board of Supervisors Chairman Mike Gallagher.
The opening included remarks by dignitaries, a ribbon-cutting ceremony, sporting demonstrations, contests and refreshments. The NAC handed out a Zuma 50 Scooter as a grand prize. It also gave away a 42-inch flat-screen TV, an iPad and a trip to the winner's choice of either Disney World or Italy as prizes for its member-joining and referral bonus program.
The facility, which was completed in a year, was designed by Ohlson Lavoie Collaborative, Denver, and built by NAC Apple Construction, Newtown. NAC Apple Construction is a subsidiary of the NAC and was created by Jim Worthington, CEO of the NAC, to do the construction for the NAC and other businesses, according to Mitchell.
"This has been a huge savings and given us much more control of our projects," Mitchell says.
Cutting the ribbon at the NAC Sports Training Center were (left to right) Mike Gallagher, Newtown Township Supervisors chairman; Chris Lanctot, director of Rock Starz Cheer; Josh Tyler, director of NAC Sports Training Center and director of Big Leagues Academy; Rick Apple, president of NAC Apple Construction; Kim Chernikovich, director of youth programs; and Jim Worthington, Newtown Athletic Club president and owner. Photo courtesy of Newtown Athletic Club.