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Anyone driving on the Plaza Parkway side of Costco at the Oconee Connector can’t help but notice the heavy metal skeleton of a huge building under construction.
That grid of metal and brick will be transformed into a fitness and health center with diversified options for physical activity.
The Athens Athletic Club is a 61,000-square-foot facility that will offer a wide variety of exercise and fitness. There are 2,878 businesses in the gym, health, and fitness clubs industry in Georgia, according to IBIS, a website that monitors businesses across the nation and world.
Once Athens Athletic begins selling memberships, there will be a limited number sold.
The two key people supervising the operation of the fitness center are Chris Lonsford, the director of club operations, and Nick Parisian, the director of membership experience.
The facility itself is a blend of modern architecture with a functional design for the various training zones, according to Parisian, who described the gym as an “athletic country club” with a luxurious feel.
“This club will have practically every amenity you can imagine,” added Lonsford.
This includes a 10,000-square-foot fitness floor, outdoor pickleball courts, a site for reformer pilates, an outdoor swimming pool, a yoga studio, and areas for cold plunge baths, dry saunas, steam rooms, hot tubs, and locker rooms.
“The amenities just go on and on,” Lonsford said.
The club is working on pre-sales for memberships, so those interested can go to the Athens Athletic Club website, www.athensathleticclub.com, to be placed on a waiting list, according to Lonsford.
“The reason we have a wait list is that the membership is going to be limited. It will be capped so there will be a fixed number,” he said. “By joining the wait list, you are reserving your spot. We’ve had a tremendous reception thus far.”
“As far as pricing, we are currently in committee to determine that. We expect to begin presales in the next couple of months, and we’ll have all that worked out by then,” Lonsford said.
The Athletic Club was born out of a need the men saw in the Athens area, Parisian said.
“There are a lot of gyms around town, but nothing compares to this. The future landscape is changing. It’s shifting from traditional clubs to more immersive, experience-based wellness centers,” he said. “It’s no longer about packing people into a club to work out. It’s about the experience.”
Both men are experienced in the fitness business.
“I’ve been in the health and fitness business for about 18 years, and the majority of that was here in Athens,” said Lonsford, who moved to Athens in 2008 from California with his family. He purchased the Bodyplex Fitness in Athens that year.
Parisian, who has more than 20 years in the fitness business, moved here from Michigan.
“We’re really excited to bring this to the community,” he said about the facility that could open in the spring of 2027, if not earlier.
