Threshold Climbing + Fitness

[Pete]

The Mathis family has broken ground on a new climbing and fitness center in far northwest Oklahoma City.

John Tarkington, step-son of Bill Mathis and an avid climber, is heading the project which will include rock climbing, bouldering, fitness training, and yoga classes, all geared towards the sport of climbing.

Dubbed Threshold Climbing + Fitness, the center will be located on 2 acres of land near the intersection of N. MacArthur and Memorial Road.

With a $2 million construction budget it will be comprised of 20,000 square feet and be over five stories at it's tallest point, with impressive climbing walls of all types.

Tarkington told OKCTalk that Threshold will be a first class facility and more elaborate than anything else in the state. It will also be the first climbing facility in Oklahoma to be designed and built new from the ground up.

The facility will cater to those of all levels of experience and abilities and will feature event space for birthday parties, corporate groups and events of all types. Tarkington says one of the primary missions of Threshold will be to promote the sport of climbing within the city and state.

A ground breaking ceremony took place on January 22nd and construction should be complete near the end of the year.

Threshold will join existing climbing facilities Rocktown in downtown OKC and Climb Up in Norman.

[bombermwc]

IM really disappointed that this is up on Memorial and not downtown. With Rocktown's days numbered, it's a real shame to lose an actual DO attraction downtown. We have so many eateries and so few activities down there.

[Spartan]

Could be a good business model. Try out the weight bench, then buy it if you like it. High-pressure salesman can spot you while you pyramid.

IM really disappointed that this is up on Memorial and not downtown. With Rocktown's days numbered, it's a real shame to lose an actual DO attraction downtown. We have so many eateries and so few activities down there.

With gas prices at a record low and lending happening again, I think Memorial Road and suburban OKC is going to dramatically eclipse the urban neighborhoods. I mean, why wouldn't it? OKC isn't a particularly urban-minded community and hasn't really done anything amazing to make the urbs more attractive. Plus we don't even protect the investments we do make, and we're okay with not even finishing projects within 10 years of funding them. So yeah, downtown is going to fall again, and nobody will even notice it bc the "downtown resurgence" rhetoric will yell over anyone.

I think to too many families, downtown isn't even a thing. If you want those people, you gotta build on Memorial Road, or you just don't exist to them.

I would be too afraid of gerbils getting in the fitness equipment to actually go myself. Plus I only go up to Memorial Road for Café 7, and that's where I draw the line. This is really just a glorified Lifetime Fitness.

[Pete]

This is really just a glorified Lifetime Fitness.

Ridiculous statement.

This will be a state-of-the-art climbing facility and the best in the state.

Everything about it will be geared towards the sport of climbing.

[Zorba]

This is really just a glorified Lifetime Fitness.

WTF? It'll have better climbing than Life Time, but not compare in any other way, at all. Not even close.

Edit: After reading the rest of the thread, looks like you meant it is nothing but a wanna-be Life Time. I could see that.

I will say the rock climbing at Life Time is far better than a typical gym rock wall, or college rock wall. But the dedicated gyms typically do it better. The nice thing about Life Time is for just a little more money a month you get an absolute world class gym with every possible option, 100+ weekly classes, 3 pools, basketball, etc and a very adequate climbing wall with climbing lessons offered. I think if Life Time does end up at Chisholm Creek it will really hurt this facility. I know the Life Time in Tulsa really hurt New Heights. I think the Life Time walls in Tulsa are on the order of 25' not 50', though. Not sure I've ever seen a Life Time with 50' walls (I sight see at local Life Times when I travel).

I am looking forward to this facility a lot, especially with the change in management at the Rock Town facility and I never got into ClimbUP (in part since it was 50 minutes away).

[Spartan]

WTF? It'll have better climbing than Life Time, but not compare in any other way, at all. Not even close.

Edit: After reading the rest of the thread, looks like you meant it is nothing but a wanna-be Life Time. I could see that.

I will say the rock climbing at Life Time is far better than a typical gym rock wall, or college rock wall. But the dedicated gyms typically do it better. The nice thing about Life Time is for just a little more money a month you get an absolute world class gym with every possible option, 100+ weekly classes, 3 pools, basketball, etc and a very adequate climbing wall with climbing lessons offered. I think if Life Time does end up at Chisholm Creek it will really hurt this facility. I know the Life Time in Tulsa really hurt New Heights. I think the Life Time walls in Tulsa are on the order of 25' not 50', though. Not sure I've ever seen a Life Time with 50' walls (I sight see at local Life Times when I travel).

I am looking forward to this facility a lot, especially with the change in management at the Rock Town facility and I never got into ClimbUP (in part since it was 50 minutes away).

Yeah, when I said this, I was thinking of Chisholm Creek nearby, and also assumed that the fitness gym was more significant. Lifetime is probably looking at Chisholm already, which will be big. Thanks for leveling with me on how decent their operation really is which might sound weird to people used to gyms in OKC. It also somewhat blows my mind how in the last 10 years a good climbing wall has become almost standard. I'm still ridiculously novice probably around to 5.5 or 5.7 but it really is the best workout available.

Why does all this matter? Assuming we retain OKC Rocks or Rocktown or whatever its name will be, this facility then appeals mostly to that demographic that doesn't like coming downtown. That demographic is going to like Lifetime better just because they can easily afford it. I don't see a long-term strategy underpinning this, because of its location. That's essentially all I'm saying, but if it really is a passion project, that doesn't matter.

I was a planning consultant on a project to put a climbing gym, yoga studio, and healthy food cafe into an old church in Cleveland. I have a pretty good grasp of this market segment and the emerging trends with these types of projects. It's really trendy right now, which makes me worry about the long-term outlook if a project isn't really grounded in the surrounding community's interests.

[Zorba]

Yeah, when I said this, I was thinking of Chisholm Creek nearby, and also assumed that the fitness gym was more significant. Lifetime is probably looking at Chisholm already, which will be big. Thanks for leveling with me on how decent their operation really is which might sound weird to people used to gyms in OKC. It also somewhat blows my mind how in the last 10 years a good climbing wall has become almost standard. I'm still ridiculously novice probably around to 5.5 or 5.7 but it really is the best workout available.

Why does all this matter? Assuming we retain OKC Rocks or Rocktown or whatever its name will be, this facility then appeals mostly to that demographic that doesn't like coming downtown. That demographic is going to like Lifetime better just because they can easily afford it. I don't see a long-term strategy underpinning this, because of its location. That's essentially all I'm saying, but if it really is a passion project, that doesn't matter.

I was a planning consultant on a project to put a climbing gym, yoga studio, and healthy food cafe into an old church in Cleveland. I have a pretty good grasp of this market segment and the emerging trends with these types of projects. It's really trendy right now, which makes me worry about the long-term outlook if a project isn't really grounded in the surrounding community's interests.

The big thing it'll provide that Rocktown doesn't have, besides a different location, is climate control while still having good height walls. ClimbUP provides the climate control, but unless you are really into bouldering it doesn't offer much reason to continue going back. It looks like it'll also have a lot more fitness offering than Rocktown, which isn't hard to do.

[Pete]

Rocktown has a new operator and it's going anywhere.

This is 15 miles from there, about the same distance as to the other facility in Norman.


Threshold will be a significant step up from anything else in the state and will only help the sport of climbing grow.

[Teo9969]

Awesome news, and good to see them expanding their reach. They really are a top notch company (not sure if this will be under the same umbrella, but I'm guessing so).

[Spartan]

Lifetime has that, too.

[Pete]

Lifetime has that, too.

They may have a climbing wall but that is not close to the same thing.

[Spartan]

Yes it is, though I don't doubt the Mathis people told you it will be the bestest greatest one ever (maybe for Oklahoma). Neither of these facilities have anything on wall climbing inside an old grain silo or church or something special, but as far as a climbing wall in a new building with 50' ceilings on a freeway exit - no difference. They all have the bouldering and rope courses these days. This one actually has fewer climbing walls than the Lifetime.

This facility has the same height as a Lifetime. Lifetime at least puts some locations in urban areas. I think Chicago has one right on Halsted in Lakeview, with the climbing in a big 3 or 4-story glass atrium that's visible from the street. Most universities have free climbing walls for their students these days. They're becoming rather ubiquitous.

[Pete]

^

There are great differences between climbing walls and climbing facilities.

Has nothing to do with height.

[bradh]

Looking at this floor plan, it's majority rock climbing, as in not the kind of place I'm gonna drop my Anytime membership to start using as a gym.

So no, this is NOTHING like a Lifetime Fitness.

[sooner88]

It's a rock climbing gym with a fitness room, not a fitness center with a rock climbing wall... huge difference.

[Pete]

I think Spartan is sitting in his angry chair again today.

[Thomas Vu]

If prices are competitive with Anytime, I'll be dropping mine as well.

[bradh]

If prices are competitive with Anytime, I'll be dropping mine as well.

it doesn't look like this is going to have much of a gym though

[AP]

I can see his frustration. We talk a big game about reversing sprawl but it surely is out pacing anything downtown and will continue to do so. And we'll continue to do nothing about it. And as for it being a fitness place, it surely is. It has fitness in the name for cryin' out loud. Are they just lying or......................

[Thomas Vu]

it doesn't look like this is going to have much of a gym though

Admittedly, I misread your first statement. However, with all the movement involved in climbing I'd prefer to do that than lift weights.

[bradh]

I can't read the dimensions, but I'm just saying that small of a space isn't enough fitness for what typical gym goers will want, so maybe they are lying?

[Pete]

The fitness part is only in support of the sport of climbing, not meant as a stand-alone workout area.

And I'm not sure south of Memorial is really sprawl at this point... There have been a bunch of big housing developments in that area since the 80's.

[AP]

Ok

[TU 'cane]

Stuff like this will never get old, it's what keeps people in town. When there are things to do and there are choices, people stay entertained.
This looks like the nicest and biggest climbing facility from the ones I've been to and have seen, so this is exciting. I imagine there will be one in Tulsa coming soon.

[Pete]

^

Don't think they'll be coming to Tulsa.

It's a one-off; a passion project by John Tarkington who lives here in OKC.