MUSKEGON, Mich. — Muskegon Community College is permanently closing its Lakeshore Fitness Center. The gym halted operations on March 19 as a result of the campus response to the coronavirus.
The Board of Trustees voted 5-2 to close the fitness center during a special meeting on May 1. The board conducted the meeting virtually to comply with Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's stay at home order.
The board also voted unanimously to explore alternatives for the fitness center, including future management and ownership of the facility. They will seek community input during this process.
The Lakeshore Fitness Center has been a financial challenge MCC since the college purchased the facility in Aug. 2015, a news release said. The college bought the gym from the Muskegon Family YMCA for $1.17 million because of MCC's focus on community-focused health and wellness.
MCC used its own assets and none of the bond issued funds to buy the building. When it was sold, it allowed YMCA to pay of its debt.
Over five years, MCC invested more than $2.5 million in acquiring the building, repairs and purchasing equipment. Another $2.5 million was spent in operating losses.
In March of 2019, the MCC board created a committee to review the financial situation of the fitness center. At the same time, they addressed the importance of the center to the community; Muskegon County has reported a low health ranking in Michigan for 20 years.
The committee worked to find long-term options, but without a viable solution MCC says the market is not large enough "to support the capital and operating requirements for a large, older facility with many years of deferred maintenance," the news release said.
The the health and economic crisis created by COVID-19 also played a role.
“Due to the impact of COVID-19 upon the economy, the college is expecting significant reductions in state aid and, in the short term, enrollment is expected to decline significantly,” said MCC President Dale Nesbary. “The closure of the Center is necessary as the college looks to balance the budget due to revenue shortfalls.”
MCC is contacting Lakeshore Fitness Members about refunding their unused services and about other health options available to them at the college's on campus health and wellness center.
More stories on 13 ON YOUR SIDE:
RELATED VIDEO:
►Make it easy to keep up to date with more stories like this. Download the 13 ON YOUR SIDE app now.
Have a news tip? Email news@13onyourside.com, visit our Facebook page or Twitter. Subscribe to our YouTube channel.
