Spooky Nook fitness center in Hamilton opens today
Nov. 1—The next phase of Spooky Nook Sports Champion Mill opens today with its fitness center, and just like everything else with the $165 million complex, it's expansive.
And Alicia Cook, Spooky Nook's director of membership operations, said the 65,000-square-foot fitness center is not an ordinary gym.
"This is something that's new to not just Hamilton but the greater Cincinnati market, and quite frankly, Ohio for that matter," she said. "We took everything we wanted in a traditional facility and just really amped it up to accommodate everyone."
So the new fitness center can accommodate the person just trying to stay fit or get in shape to the high school, collegiate, and professional athletes training for their upcoming sports season.
"We run the whole gamut of what we're able to offer to our members," she said.
In addition to the traditional fitness equipment and free weights, there is a child watch center and sports-specific training equipment. There are also studios that can accommodate a large number of class participants.
Starting Monday, group fitness classes will begin.
The fitness center won't be fully operational until next year as Cook said, "There's still more to come," including indoor rock climbing.
Cook, who's been on board since January, said after nearly a year of preparing for today, the excitement is palpable.
"We're just so very grateful to be here," Cook said. "I think that this community is so unique, and we're excited to participate in its growth."
"It's been almost a year of preparing for this moment and getting entrenched into this community and seeing the excitement around this," she added.
While the fitness center on the sports side of the complex will open today, there is not a specific date for opening the hardwood or sport courts, said Bonnie Bastian, Spooky Nook Sports Champion Mill marketing manager. She said there might be a few one-off practices and open courts, but a true opening date will be at the start of the tournaments and leagues, which will happen after the first of the year.
"We are currently in the middle of signing up teams for the volleyball and basketball tournaments," she said. "We have been reaching out to potential participants across the region."
Bastian said there are six Nook-managed tournaments ― three volleyball and three basketball ― in 2023 "with the possibility of adding more." The first of those tournaments will be the MLK Champion Mill Classic, a volleyball tournament to be held from Jan. 14 to 16. Spooky Nook officials anticipated 10,000 to 15,000 people to be in Hamilton for that weekend's volleyball tournament.
The fitness center is open 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Friday and 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, and memberships can be purchased online now or at the center.
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SPOOKY NOOK FITNESS CENTER
The fitness center at Spooky Nook Sports Champion Mill is now open.
There are various types of memberships available, from month-to-month and yearly contracts to paid-in-full memberships. They are available for youth, adult, and senior singles to couples and family memberships.
Hours are 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Friday and 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
Memberships can be purchased online or at the facility, 611 N. B St..
