YouTube fitness star Matt Morsia is taking on his most ambitious project yet.
The sports center where he built his career nearly 13 years ago has sat abandoned for over a year, plagued by financial troubles and deterioration.
Now, partnering with Sports Trust CEO Dan, Morsia plans to completely redevelop the facility—transforming it into what he hopes will become the best gym in the entire area.
And based on the exclusive tour he just shared, this won’t be your typical gym renovation.
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From Glory Days to Decay
Walking through the Folks Sports Center today reveals a stark contrast to its former vibrancy. Boarded-up entrances, empty vending machines, and equipment frozen in place paint a picture of neglect.
But for Morsia, every corner holds memories—from waiting for his mother as a 12-year-old after football camps to hitting countless powerlifting personal records in the basement gym.
I used to when I used to come here, right, I’d come down those stairs and then I’d walk down. I’d go down there and then round. I made that journey like five times a week for about 5 years.
Sports Trust recently purchased the facility, literally saving it from extinction. Their mission? Complete redevelopment of the entire site, including pool, sports hall, and—most critically for Morsia—the gym.
Bigger Than Ever Before
Morsia has built three smaller gyms previously, including his personal training space. But this project operates on an entirely different scale.
This is bigger, a lot bigger. And building a gym of this scale is something I’ve always wanted to do, particularly in my local area.
Current plans involve utilizing multiple floors and potentially expanding into what’s currently a children’s pool area. If that expansion happens, the space would essentially double in size—creating room for specialized training zones that accommodate everyone from beginners to elite athletes.
Strategic Zone Planning
Morsia’s vision centers on creating distinct training areas that prevent interference between different gym users. His provisional layout includes:
- Push area for chest, shoulders, and triceps work
- Pull area for back and biceps training
- Lower body section dedicated to leg development
- Free weight zone with racks and platforms for serious lifters
- Functional training space for athletic movements
- Cardiovascular equipment area for general fitness enthusiasts
The end goal would be it’s a gym for anyone, but it’s like also a serious gym. If you’re an actual lifter or an athlete, you can come and train here and we’ve got everything you need. No one’s treading on anyone’s toes.
Personal Connection Drives Design
Walking through the abandoned basement gym where he spent years training as both an international athlete and powerlifter, Morsia reflected on how different his career might have been with better facilities.
He could still identify exactly where equipment used to stand—squat racks, deadlift platforms, benches where he set personal records.
When I think back to when I used to train here, I was like an international athlete. Then I was a powerlifter. And if I had the facility that we’re looking to build now, it would have made my life so much easier and my training so much better.
That personal experience informs every decision. Morsia wants to create exactly what he wished he’d had—a space where serious athletes can push limits while beginners feel comfortable starting their fitness journeys.
Beyond Just Weights
The full redevelopment extends far beyond gym equipment. Sports Trust plans to restore:
- A massive swimming pool (currently sitting empty at 3 meters deep)
- Multiple group fitness studios
- Sports halls for team activities
- The dry ski slope (currently the “driest ski slope in the world,” as Morsia joked)
- Community spaces and reception areas
Dan emphasized the importance of doing renovations properly rather than rushing completion.
Timeline and Community Impact
While Morsia joked about opening “tomorrow,” realistic projections aim for the pool reopening by next July—marking two years of closure. Gym completion would follow a similar timeline.
The guys who run this beforehand did an amazing job keeping it open for the community for 50 years. We need to make sure it’s got another 50 years ahead. It’s got to be done right.
Two years feels long for a community without these resources. But both Morsia and Dan agree that quality trumps speed—especially when building facilities meant to serve generations.
Design Philosophy: Inclusivity Meets Performance
Perhaps most notable about Morsia’s approach is his refusal to choose between “hardcore gym” and “beginner-friendly space.” He’s determined to create both simultaneously.
Strategic layout prevents conflicts. Free weight zones positioned at one end mean parents doing quick cardio sessions won’t walk through areas where lifters perform heavy compounds. Everyone gets their space. Nobody compromises their training—or their vibe.
If you are a mom that’s got a spare half hour that wants to come in and jump on the bike or whatever, you have your area where you can train. Everyone kind of interacts but no one is getting in anyone’s way or killing the vibe.
Nostalgia Meets Innovation
Throughout the tour, Morsia couldn’t help revisiting childhood memories—the cafe where he ate as a kid, mirrors where he took physique photos 15 years ago, even the sensory room filled with ball pits that nearly trapped him during filming.
But sentiment doesn’t cloud judgment. Unnecessary walls will come down. Outdated layouts will transform. Equipment will modernize.
The goal isn’t recreating the past—it’s building something far better while honoring what the space once meant to the community.
Community Input Welcome
Morsia invited his audience to share suggestions, though he admitted with characteristic humor he’d “probably ignore them.” Still, the invitation signals his awareness that this project transcends personal ambition.
This gym will serve an entire region. Athletes training for competition. Parents squeezing in workouts between responsibilities. Teenagers building confidence. Retirees maintaining mobility.
Getting it right matters.
As Morsia concluded his tour of the derelict facility, his excitement was palpable despite the current state of disrepair. Where others see abandoned pools and gutted training spaces, he envisions a thriving hub that will serve his community for decades.
I want the gym to be legit the best gym anywhere near this area. We’re going to make it sick.
If his track record with previous gym builds indicates anything, that confidence isn’t misplaced. The Folks Sports Center may currently sit in decay, but its resurrection could set new standards for community fitness facilities—proving that bigger doesn’t have to mean impersonal, and serious training spaces can welcome everyone.
