FAYETTEVILLE -- Cross Church has purchased a gym next to its campus near Wedington Drive in Fayetteville to likely use as a college ministry.
The sale price is listed in Washington County property records online as $16 million.
The church, originally founded as First Baptist Church in Springdale, has three campuses in Northwest Arkansas: Springdale, Rogers and Fayetteville. It changed its name to Cross Church in 2010, according to its website. It has thousands of members and focuses on mission work across the globe. The 57,500-square-foot Fayetteville location at 2801 W. McMillan Drive opened in 2016.
Around the same time, Cross Church sold about 3.85 acres it owned northeast of the worship center to WCG Wedington LLC for $2.45 million, according to Washington County property records. The City Council rezoned the land as an urban thoroughfare district, and the gym opened two years later.
Fitness One sold its land for $9.69 million to Maverick Decatur Georgia LLC in January. It was advertised online as Iconix Fitness, but the Fitness One signs on the building remained.
The land sold again in late April for $16 million to McMillan & Wedington LLC, which is registered to Springdale attorney Kenneth Hall.
Cross Church has a college ministry serving University of Arkansas students that operates out of its Fayetteville campus called CTHREE, according to its website. CTHREE's Facebook page has several pictures posted May 1 of its members touring and praying around the gym. Comments on the posts indicate the building will serve as the future home to CTHREE.
A sign on the front doors of the gym dated last Friday says, "The doors of this club will be shut, and we will be closed permanently. Please enjoy the club through May 11 and know that we wish you only the best of health and happiness."
The Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reached out to Cross Church on Wednesday afternoon through a contact form on its website and email address listed on the CTHREE Facebook page.
The city has not received any planning documents or requests related to the building, said Jessie Masters, development review manager.
Church facilities are allowed under the urban thoroughfare zoning, so a rezoning would not be necessary if it were to become a college ministry.