Champions Athletic

[waterboy]

Anyone know the story on why the Champions Athletic building on south Memorial is closed? And why it remains closed? Seems such a waste.

[inteller]

poor management?  there are a lot of athletic type places in that general area.

[DM]

I thought I remember hearing that it was sold and will be demolished for more retail or something like that.

[aoxamaxoa]

And there will be lots more competition once Gold's Gym comes to town at 68th and Memorial and perhaps 41st and Yale.

My goodness....meat markets everywhere. Why are we so overweight?

[sgrizzle]

quote:Originally posted by aoxamaxoa

And there will be lots more competition once Gold's Gym comes to town at 68th and Memorial and perhaps 41st and Yale.

My goodness....meat markets everywhere. Why are we so overweight?

Their sign is already up at 68th & Memorial

[ttownclown]

There was an article a few months back in the Tulsa Business Journal.  It said it was sold because property appreciated enormously over the past 15 years.  In the article it said that the land was worth a lot more without the building on it and they planned on moving Champions to Jenks. Don't quote me on these #s or dates, but I think they purchased the land in the early 90's for a couple of million and recently sold it for $11 million. It was a financial decision.

[aoxamaxoa]

$11 meeellion just don't sound correct 2 me....[?]

[ttownclown]

quote:Originally posted by aoxamaxoa

$11 meeellion just don't sound correct 2 me....[?]

ok- I was off by 1 million:

TBJ Article  



Past Champions
Tulsa Business Staff
3/19/2007

Champions Athletic Complex closed its doors March 5 because "the dirt became more valuable than the building," said Champions operator Kevin Burgess.
Although the athletic complex is coming down, a $1 million sports complex will go up in Jenks later this year.

"Hundreds of thousands" of kids had played at the sports and recreation facility, 10808 S. Memorial Drive, since opening in 1993, said Burgess.

The Champions property, owned by Crossroads Fellowship Christian Ministries LLC, sold on Jan. 29, according to Tulsa County Court House records.

The owners had closed the facility and wanted to relocate, Hawes said.

The owners did not return telephone calls seeking comment.

Hawes and partner Blaine McLellan, owners of Expert South Tulsa LLC, Mission, Kan., bought Champions Athletic Complex for $2.76 million.

Expert South Tulsa is one of several companies operated by Kansas City, Mo-based Expert Cos. Inc. The group of companies includes development, finance, brokerage, construction and architecture services.

Other parcels, owned by Lindsay and Diane Perkins, E.A. and Beverly Schermerhorn, Paul and Pauline Moore and Shelby and Lorie Maries Futch, were purchased as far back as Nov. 9.

Property values on Memorial Drive south of 101st Street have skyrocketed. Once the Wal-Mart SuperCenter went in at 111th Street and Memorial Drive, it became apparent the land was more valuable as a retail and restaurant center.

The complex, bought for $1.9 million 14 years ago, sold for $9.5 million, Hawes said. Other costs and expenses will push the final price "something north" of $10 million.

"The cost of the dirt is more reasonable than in Kansas City," Hawes said.

The golf center was combined with the Champions property to create a 35-acre deal.

Development will take two years, he said.

Ground breaking is expected by June 30, Hawes said. The upscale retail shopping center, named internally as "Memorial Commons," will bring "a first-class quality center to south Tulsa," Hawes said.

"That name is strictly internal," he said.

The advantages of building in south Tulsa are numerous he said. The best is the area features one of the highest-per capita incomes in the state.
"The demographics — in terms of average annual income — is good. Discretionary income is good. It is in Bixby, the fastest-growing community in Oklahoma. It is next to Wal-Mart. The convention center is across the street. There are not as many developers there as in Kansas City," he said.

Hawes lived in Tulsa from 1988 to 1994 — except for a yearlong stint in Dallas to earn an MBA. While here he hit range balls at JJs Golf. Another tie to the Tulsa area: Hawes' mother lives at Grand Lake.

The center, across from the Bixby convention center being developed by Tim Remy on the east side of Memorial Drive, will have a hotel, Hawes said.

"The tenant will dictate our schedule, but we are excited about the anchors," he said. "We want an upscale fitness center, an upscale grocer, restaurants and shopping."

The anchors are "no where close to being set in stone," Hawes said.

Meanwhile, Kim Hendrix is nearly ready to break ground in May on a 45,000-SF, two-story athletic complex at 9402 S. Elwood Ave.

The facility, Performance Sports & Training — or PST — will have three full-sized basketball courts, six baseball/softball cages, aerobic, cardio training, a weight room and other features. Once open in the fall, Hendrix expects to employ 25 to 30 people.

Hendrix and her husband Duncan are operating a batting cage at 395 W. "K" Place in Jenks.

Hendrix has been planning to erect the sports center for two years.

"There needs to be a place for kids, where adults can work out and have their kids nearby in a safe environment where they know where they are," she said.

[Aa5drvr]

And all this time I thought it was because they werent close to the river.......

[sgrizzle]

Drove by there this weekend. Building is coming down pretty fast.