Cincinnati Sports Club is increasing its 2026 renovation investment to approximately $3 million, expanding on previously announced improvement plans at its East Side facility in Fairfax.
According to the Cincinnati Business Courier, the project has grown beyond the $1 million expansion initially announced in February. The additional work includes upgrades to the club’s indoor training and recovery areas, alongside the previously planned outdoor racket-sport amenities.
In October, Mary Frank, the club’s vice president of sales and marketing, announced plans to expand the second-floor workout area by 3,600 square feet and introduce a new dry recovery facility.
“In addition to the outdoor expansion and new padel courts, we are also implementing significant enhancements indoors to improve the day-to-day experience for our members and the way they work out today,” Frank said in a news release.
The expanded second-floor mezzanine will feature 20 individual workout zones equipped with weights and other fitness equipment. The recovery area will include four performance relaxation chairs and a cryo chair, which combines cold and heat recovery functions.
The outdoor improvements include two covered padel courts, two additional pickleball courts, and a 400-square-foot expansion of the community warming hut. The enlarged hut is designed to provide more space for members to gather, watch matches, and host events.
Once the outdoor improvements are complete, the club will have six pickleball courts, three tennis courts, two paddleball courts and two padel courts. Cincinnati Sports Club says the project will make it the first facility in the region to offer outdoor covered padel courts.
The additions reflect growing interest in racket sports, including padel, which combines elements of tennis, racquetball and squash, as well as pickleball, which has gained popularity across the country.
According to the Cincinnati Business Courier, construction on the interior projects began in September, with Huber General Contracting serving as construction manager and Gregory Gates Architect involved as project manager. Some of the outdoor work experienced material delays, pushing back the original completion schedule. The club subsequently incorporated the outdoor improvements into the broader construction timeline.
All upgrades are expected to be completed before the 2026 holiday season. The club’s construction updates indicate that the new two-story mezzanine and recovery area are anticipated to open in late November or early December.
The project is part of Cincinnati Sports Club’s long-term Club Vision 2040 master plan, which guides continued investment in the facility and member experience. The club has previously added an adults-only pool in 2020 and indoor pickleball courts in 2022, among other improvements.
Located on a 16-acre campus at 3950 Red Bank Road in Fairfax, Cincinnati Sports Club first opened in 1990. The facility offers fitness, wellness, recreational, and social amenities.
The club’s capital improvements are funded through initiation fees from new memberships, with local owners matching those contributions for reinvestment in the facility.
WhatNow reached out to Cincinnati Sports Club for additional information but had not received a response at the time of publication. The article will be updated if further details become available.
