LOWELL — When Fastlane Entertainment opened its doors here earlier this summer, it was — quite literally — a big deal. At 75, 000 square feet, Fastlane Entertainment automatically became the largest family entertainment center in the region.
And Lowell is preparing to lay claim to another “ big” this fall.
Mike Charlton of Charlton Development has developed many successful office buildings and commercial complexes across Benton County. But he’s never unveiled anything like the World Gym project that’s speeding toward completion near the corner of U. S. Highway 71 Business and Pleasant Grove Road.
Northwest Arkansas already has three World Gyms, and there are more than 200 spread across the globe, as far away as China, Egypt, India and South Korea. When the Lowell facility opens — tentatively projected for October — it will be the largest World Gym on the planet.
“ It’s an incredible place, ” said Rhett Garner, who operates the two World Gyms in Bentonville, one in Fayetteville and the soon-to-be-completed Lowell club. “ There’s definitely some wow factor to this place. I can ramble on about it, but there are things people will still be impressed by when they walk through the doors for the first time. ”
The Lowell World Gym, which broke ground in November, will feature 50, 000 square feet of indoor space, as well as a 20, 000-square-foot outdoor area. The facility will feature a quarter-mile indoor track, two aerobic rooms, racquetball courts, indoor and outdoor pools, cutting-edge spinning and aerobic classes, a children’s splash park, a boxing room, stand-up tanning, basketball courts and more. There will even be a putting and chipping green for members to work the rust out of their golf games, along with a large women’s-only gym within the club.
“ There’s such a demand, and Lowell is at the center of northwest Arkansas, ” Garner said. “ Health and fitness is a real big trend right now, especially among corporations. We all know there are a lot of those here. We’ve gotten a tremendous amount of feedback. ”
“ We’re very fortunate to have projects like World Gym and Fastlane Entertainment in Lowell, ” Lowell Mayor Perry Long said. “ These are big projects — good for business in Lowell and good for northwest Arkansas. We’re working hard to create more opportunities in this community and welcome these kinds of investments. ”
Garner has six semitrailers full of state-of-the-art equipment to install. There will be second-level executive locker rooms and lounges, in addition to main-level locker spaces and a large childcare wing. There will even be a couple of steam showers equipped with CD players and telephones.
The Lowell World Gym has been attracting attention for more than even these unique features.
“ I’ve done a lot of big buildings, but I’ve never done an $ 8-million facility like this, ” said Carlton, whose company owns and intends to develop the 90 acres surrounding the World Gym. “ The real learning experience for me has been the green aspects of this project. It really goes above and beyond. There are some incredibly special features here. ”
For starters, large solar panels have been installed on the roof to draw energy for a unique solar water-heating system, on the second level of the gym. The solar energy collected will be used to heat the water used for showers, sinks and other needs throughout the building. In addition, a second set of solar panels were installed to heat the facility’s indoor and outdoor pools.
Carlton said double insulation was installed, and more than $ 100, 000 in eco-friendly measures were taken to turn the facility into a model for sustainability. Such additional features include reflective glass, energy-efficient lighting systems and more.
“ This is my first solar-energy project, ” Carlton said. “ It’s been a first for me in so many areas. We’re estimating we’re going to save 30 to 40 percent on our utility bills. A lot of investment has been put into this club, but 30 to 40 percent savings on utilities is significant, no matter how you look at it.
“ We’re excited about this area, ” Carlton said. “ We have a half-mile of (additional ) highway frontage here, and we’re looking at offices, restaurants and other services. But this World Gym is the big anchor. Getting this facility open will be the key. It’s going to be pretty exciting. ”
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