Julia Sanders

Midwest Fitness Partners continues to reach new milestones with the opening of new Planet Fitness^® locations. The franchise group opened its first-ever Kansas City location on Dec. 30, starting the new year in a new city. The 27,000-square-foot club features an array of amenities, including a Cryo bed, massage chairs, red light therapy, Vicki vending machines, tanning beds and plate-loaded equipment.  

Midwest Fitness Partners had a successful grand-opening celebration on Jan. 15 for the new Kansas City club. More than 100 people attended the celebration to check out the new club. During the celebration, there was a ribbon-cutting ceremony with Mayor Tyrone Garner and the Kansas City Chamber of Commerce to officially mark the occasion. MFP also had a special guest attend the event, with Dawn Sullivan, VP of local corporate and franchise marketing at PFCSC, in attendance.

Guests in attendance were able to enjoy Kansas City barbecue, refreshing drinks and music provided by a local radio station. There were also raffle prizes provided, including 65-inch TVs, Beats headphones, free memberships and $100 gift cards. To wrap up the grand-opening celebration, MFP presented a $1,000 donation to the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Kansas City to help support local youth and the Judgement Free Generation^® initiative.

“We’re incredibly excited to bring our first Planet Fitness location to Kansas City. Our goal has always been to provide a welcoming, inclusive space for people of all fitness levels, and this new club is no exception. We’re committed to being a positive force in the community, and we can’t wait to see everyone take full advantage of our world-class amenities,” said Mike Hamilton, COO and co-founder of Midwest Fitness Partners.

The new club in Kansas City is MFP’s 56th club. The club opening shows the group’s continued commitment to expanding its footprint and serving communities across the Midwest.

Putting a Thanksgiving meal on the table can be an expensive feat. According to the Atlanta Community Food Bank’s website, 13.1% of Georgians are food insecure, meaning they lack access to enough food and have limited access to nutritionally adequate foods. The Flynn Group showed its support for its local Atlanta community members by hosting its sixth annual turkey giveaway in the city. On Nov. 22, the franchise gave away free frozen turkeys to the public at its West End PF^® location in Atlanta and Wesley Chapel location in Decatur, Georgia.  

This was the group’s second year holding their turkey drive at their Wesley Chapel location, and there was a huge turnout. With the help of Colli the Hawk, the official mascot of the College Park Skyhawks, and the Skyhawks dance team, the franchise’s staff handed out 250 free turkeys at the Wesley Chapel location. In total, the franchise group gave out 500 frozen turkeys between the two locations.

“Each year, as we gather to give away turkeys to our Atlanta community, we’re reminded that the strength of our bond isn’t just built in the gym – it’s built in the moments of kindness, generosity and togetherness. Each holiday season, we’re proud to extend our support beyond fitness, sharing warmth and gratitude with those who make our community strong,” said Timothy Morrissette, director of training and development at Flynn.

The holidays can be a happy – and stressful – time. Many parents find the holidays stressful due to the extra pressure of juggling finances and buying presents for their children. The Flynn Group attempted to lift financial stress from families in need with its fourth annual toy drive.

From Nov. 11 to Dec. 13, the franchise group had donation bins in all of its locations, including its nine Massachusetts locations and 31 Georgia locations. The toys collected were given to the Marine Corps Toys for Tots Program, which collects and donates toys to economically disadvantaged children during the holidays. In 2024, the Toys for Tots Program provided over 30 million toys to nearly 13 million children in need, according to the organization’s website.  

During the holiday season, the Flynn Group was able to collect over a thousand toys between all 40 of their locations. Toys collected ranged in size and included something for every child, including stuffed animals, Barbie dolls, board games, action figures, sports gear, books, art supplies and puzzles. Thanks to the generosity of their clubs, the Flynn Group was able to brighten the lives of many who are less fortunate.  

“Our members have become accustomed to our toy drive, which has helped enable us to collect more and more toys each year. The support and generosity of our members is overwhelming; they really go above and beyond to help make our toy drive so successful and we are truly grateful for them,” said Mike Leonard, regional manager for Flynn Group.