What Prairie Athletic Club does

Prairie Athletic Club (PAC) is a privately-held, single-location recreational fitness club founded in 1976 and headquartered at 1010 N Bird St, Sun Prairie, Wisconsin. The company operates a 250,000+ square foot facility self-described as Wisconsin's largest recreational fitness club, providing fitness training, group classes, aquatic programs, youth sports, martial arts, and family recreation under one roof. Its signature offering is Dolphins Cove, an award-winning outdoor water park featuring water slides, a lazy river, a 75-foot zipline, lily pads, and an Aquaclimb wall, which has been voted the best thing for kids to do in Sun Prairie.

The facility's technology stack is modest and operationally focused: the MINDBODY platform handles class scheduling, member management, and online registrations; Waiverforever processes digital liability waivers for non-member water park guests; and an AllAccessible widget provides website accessibility features. The business is monetized primarily through recurring membership subscriptions supplemented by program fees (CrossFit Vultus, SOL Yoga, ESP Elite Sports Performance, personal training, youth programs), guest passes (PAC member $16+tax vs. non-member $32+tax per visit), cabana rentals ($45–$95 depending on venue and membership status), facility/room rentals for events, and on-site food and beverage. Distribution is direct-to-consumer through a single regional facility, the club's website, and a free facility tour conversion funnel. Customer segments are horizontal — individuals, families, and youth — with no enterprise or B2B accounts disclosed. The company employs 251–500 people, operates exclusively in Wisconsin, has no parent company, no outside funding, and no disclosed M&A activity.

Name

Prairie Athletic Club

Legal name

Prairie Athletic Club

Website

https://prairieathletic.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1976

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Prairie Athletic Club is a privately-held, single-location recreational fitness club in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, serving individuals, families, and youth across the Madison area with a 250,000+ square foot facility, an outdoor water park, group fitness, and sports programs on a subscription membership model.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Recreational Fitness Services

NAICS

Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers (713940), Sports and Recreation Instruction (61162)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro primary industry

Group Fitness, Personal Training & Wellness Coaching (EDALAIAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Strength & Conditioning / Athletic Performance Training (HSADAEAB), Sports-Specific Group Conditioning (HSADABAK)

Keywords

• Recreational fitness club
• Group fitness classes
• Swimming lessons
• Personal training services
• Youth sports programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Sun Prairie

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Membership Subscriptions: Recurring membership fees for access to fitness facilities, classes, and amenities
2. Guest Passes and Day Access: Revenue from non-member guests and day passes - PAC Member Guest at $16+tax, Non-member Guest at $32+tax
3. Cabana Rentals: Premium poolside cabana rentals at Mussels Beach ($45-$65) and Dolphins Cove ($75-$95) with optional pizza and pitcher combo add-ons
4. Program Fees: Fees for specialized programs including CrossFit Vultus, SOL Yoga, Elite Sports Performance, personal training, and youth programs
5. Facility and Room Rentals: Revenue from renting facility spaces and rooms for parties and events
6. Food and Beverage: On-site food and beverage sales, particularly during pool season with cabana pizza combos

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Prairie Athletic Club sells memberships that grant access to a 250,000+ sq ft recreational fitness facility in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, including fitness equipment, indoor and outdoor pools, sports courts, group fitness classes, and the Dolphins Cove water park. Beyond core membership access, the club sells specialized programs (CrossFit Vultus, SOL Yoga, ESP Elite Sports Performance, personal training, aqua fitness, martial arts, youth sports, swimming lessons, and preschool), guest day passes, cabana rentals, on-site food and beverage, and facility/room rentals for events.

Product overview

Prairie Athletic Club is Wisconsin's largest recreational fitness club spanning over 250,000 square feet. The facility operates as a unified multi-amenity health and recreation platform offering: Dolphins Cove outdoor water park (with water slides, lazy river, zipline, Aquaclimb wall, and cabana rentals), over 100 weekly Group Fitness Classes, CrossFit Vultus, SOL Yoga studio, ESP Elite Sports Performance training, Aqua Fitness, Personal Training, Youth Programs (including The Learning Academy preschool), adult sports (basketball, racquetball, soccer, volleyball, pickleball), swimming lessons with Red Cross certification, Martial Arts instruction, Food & Beverage services, and Facility/Party rentals. The club also offers a Fit Rewards loyalty program. Members access amenities via an online account system integrated with MINDBODY for scheduling.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Dolphins Cove: Award-winning outdoor water park featuring water slides, lazy river, zipline, lily pads, and Aquaclimb wall. Voted 'Best thing for kids to do' in Sun Prairie.
• CrossFit Vultus
• SOL Yoga
• ESP Elite Sports Performance
• The Learning Academy

Products and services

• Dolphins Cove Water Park Outdoor water park attraction with water slides, lazy river, 75-foot zipline, lily pads, and Aquaclimb wall available to members and guest pass holders; voted 'Best thing for kids to do' in Sun Prairie.
• Group Fitness Classes Over 100 weekly scheduled fitness classes including Pilates, yoga, and other workout formats available to members.
• CrossFit Vultus CrossFit high-intensity functional fitness training program offered inside the Prairie Athletic Club facility.
• SOL Yoga Dedicated yoga studio providing various yoga classes and practices for Prairie Athletic Club members.
• ESP Elite Sports Performance Specialized sports performance training program designed for athletes looking to improve their competitive athletic abilities.
• Aqua Fitness Water-based fitness classes and aquatic exercise programs held in the facility's indoor and outdoor pools.
• Personal Training One-on-one personal training sessions delivered by Prairie Athletic Club fitness professionals.
• Youth Sports and PAC Kids/Summer Camps Youth athletic programs including soccer, baseball, basketball, summer camps (PAC Kids), and other developmental sports offerings for children and teenagers.
• Swimming Programs Swimming lessons and aquatic programs for all ages, including Red Cross safety courses, swimming certifications, and lifesaving training delivered through an authorized Red Cross training provider relationship.
• Martial Arts Martial arts instruction and training programs available to Prairie Athletic Club members.
• Adult Sports Programs Adult recreational sports leagues and open play including basketball, racquetball, soccer, volleyball, and pickleball.
• The Learning Academy Preschool On-site preschool program offering early childhood education and developmental activities for young children of member families.
• Food & Beverage On-site restaurant and bar service for members and guests, including poolside cabana pizza and pitcher combo add-ons during pool season.
• Facility & Room Rentals Event space and room rentals for parties, meetings, and private events including birthday parties held at Prairie Athletic Club.
• Cabana Rentals Poolside cabana rentals at Mussels Beach (4.5-hour rental, up to 6 guests) and Dolphins Cove (6-hour rental, up to 6 guests), with member and non-member pricing tiers.

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Red CrosscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRed Cross programs offered at Prairie Athletic Club including safety courses, swimming certifications, and lifesaving training. PAC serves as an authorized Red Cross training provider for the community.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Planet Fitness: Largest low-cost fitness franchise in the US, with a stripped-down amenity model — represents the budget-side threat to PAC's mid-to-premium positioning, especially in recessionary periods.
• 24 Hour Fitness: National chain offering group fitness, pools, kids' club, and personal training — broadly comparable family-amenity mix to PAC, though differentiated by 24-hour access.
• Snap Fitness: 24/7 franchise fitness club with compact formats — represents the low-cost, convenience-focused competitive alternative to PAC's larger all-amenity model.
• Equinox: Premium fitness brand with pools, group fitness, personal training, and spa services — competes for the upper end of PAC's premium programming (ESP, personal training, SOL Yoga) at a national level.
• Gold's Gym: National fitness chain offering memberships, group fitness, personal training, and youth programs — broad incumbent competitor for PAC's core fitness and program offerings across many US markets.
• Life Time Fitness (Life Time Group Holdings): National premium all-amenity fitness operator offering pools, group fitness, kids' programs, spas, and country-club-style amenities — overlapping with PAC's positioning but at much greater scale and geographic reach.
• LA Fitness: Large multi-purpose fitness chain with pools, basketball courts, group classes, and family amenities — broadly comparable amenity mix to PAC at national scale.
• Anytime Fitness: Largest 24-hour fitness franchise globally, offering membership-based fitness access — competes with PAC for individual and family memberships, though with a leaner amenity footprint.

Direct peers

• YMCA of Dane County: Community-based membership recreation organization operating in the same Madison market with pools, youth sports, group fitness, swim lessons, and preschool — directly overlapping with PAC's family-recreation proposition at typically lower price points.
• Princeton Club: Madison, WI-based all-amenity family fitness club offering pools, courts, group fitness, youth programs, and personal training — nearly identical operating model to PAC and directly overlapping in the Madison/Sun Prairie trade area.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/PrairieAthletic
• Facebookfacebook.com/prairieathleticclub
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sun-prairie-athletic-club
• Instagraminstagram.com/prairieathletic

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Prairie Athletic Club