Norton Healthcare opens new sports and wellness center in east Louisville

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- A state-of-the-art sports performance and wellness center is now open in east Louisville.

The Norton Sports Health Performance & Wellness Center center is located at 9451 Westport Road, near Hurstbourne Parkway, and replaces the facility at Sycamore Station Place. The 40,000-square-foot center is more than double the size of the former location and represents more than a $1 million investment, according to a news release.

Norton Sports Health Performance and Wellness Center offers training and preventative care programs for elite athletes as well as those just starting their fitness journey.

Norton officials say there are plans to build out additional space in the facility for a variety of orthopedic specialists from Norton Orthopedic Institute and Norton Children's Orthopedics of Louisville so athletes of all ages can receive on-site treatment. Other medical practices may also be added in the future, according to the release.

The people behind the project say they hope it helps attract athletes from around the country.

"The opportunity here to interact with folks that have a different skillset, a different background, a different goal, is really kind of the model we put together," said Norton Medical Group Director of Operations Sam Zuege. "The classes we have are formulated from people that come from all walks of life and the opportunity for folks to come here and obtain services really is just targeted at making the doors open."

Unlike the previous facility that focused more on advanced athletes, the new location offers a more traditional gym with cardio equipment, weight machines and classes for the general public, according to the release.

Seniors will have access to the facility through their Medicare SilverSneakers memberships. There also will be programming for high school athletes, including team training, strength and conditioning.

The facility is also home to the new Louisville Slugger Hitting Science Center, where a player's swing is analyzed and experts use the data to suggest different bats to help improve performance.

The next phase of the project will open to provide additional resources to those at lower fitness levels in about a month.

Other tenants at the center include Pure Green, a nutrition company known for its cold-pressed superfoods, and KORT Physical Therapy.