Stop the Sale of the Morrison YMCA in Ballantyne

We, the undersigned members of the Ballantyne and greater South Charlotte community, strongly oppose with outrage the YMCA of Greater Charlotte’s decision to sell the Morrison Family YMCA facility in Ballantyne for $42.5 million.

For decades, the Morrison YMCA has been far more than a gym. It has been a cornerstone of the Ballantyne community since the early years of the area’s development. The YMCA was one of the first major institutions established in Ballantyne as Ballantyne transformed from undeveloped land into one of Charlotte’s largest and fastest-growing communities. Families built daily routines, made friendships, created childhood memories, engaged in our volunteer networks, and started healthy lifestyles around this YMCA.

The Morrison Family YMCA has helped shape Ballantyne’s identity, and should for generations to come.

Now, without meaningful public dialogue or member input, YMCA leadership has chosen to sell this vital community institution to Moments of Hope Church as part of a “broader financial and strategic restructuring plan”.

Community members are rightfully outraged. See comments:

·      “What an utter disappointment and quite frankly an insult, This facility is run by an amazing staff, and now where do they turn? We are in this facility nearly every day of the week and are absolutely appalled by the fact any sane person could arrive at this decision,” Facebook user Jamie Cooke posted

·      Mackenna Hargis. “A giant blow to the community,” Hargis said. “The opportunities offered to the adults and children will never be replaced. I drive 40 minutes (three to four times a week), past two other Ys to come here bc Morrison is unmatched in childcare and workout space.”

·      “I can’t tell you how sad, disappointed, and angry this makes me,” Instagram user James Neubauer wrote. “I have volunteered at and visited this YMCA with my entire family for the last 15 years, and for a decision like this to have already been made without having an open dialogue with the members and volunteers is unbelievable.”

Families rely on the Morrison YMCA for:

• Childcare and after-school programs
• Youth sports and swimming
• Senior wellness and fitness
• Community gathering spaces
• Accessible health and wellness opportunities
• Volunteer and mentorship program

Many members specifically chose Morrison because of its unique programs, childcare quality, staff, and sense of community that cannot simply be “replaced” by driving farther to another branch.

Whether you work out at Harris, Dowd, Brace Family, or another YMCA branch, own a local business, or simply call South Charlotte home, the fight to save Morrison YMCA affects us all. As one of the early community institutions established during Ballantyne’s development, Morrison helped shape the community it serves. Yet the YMCA of Greater Charlotte’s corporate leadership has entered into a $42.5 million agreement to sell the 22-acre campus through a process that left community members feeling excluded from meaningful input, including local leaders interested in exploring public funding alternatives. If they can sell our YMCA branch, your branch could be next. No community should assume its YMCA is safe from a similar decision made without meaningful consultation. This raises serious questions about transparency, stewardship, and whether the voices of members and families truly matter in decisions affecting their communities. The reported lack of consultation with descendants of the Morrison family, the original land donors, further raises concerns about the relationships and trust that sustain the YMCA’s mission.

The consequences extend far beyond Morrison’s doors. The closure threatens the continuity of programs relied upon by thousands of families and could displace approximately 290 employees, placing additional pressure on surrounding branches, childcare programs, and summer camps. Meanwhile, the YMCA has framed the sale as part of a broader reinvestment strategy, even as The Charlotte Observer reported CEO compensation exceeding $400,000 in 2024. Community members deserve transparent answers about why selling Morrison is necessary and what alternatives were considered. With the transaction not expected to close until summer 2027, there is still time to demand a pause and explore public-private partnerships or other preservation options. Our petition has surpassed 6,500 signatures, but we need a united voice from across Charlotte. By signing and sharing this petition, you are urging the YMCA of Greater Charlotte’s Board of Directors to reconsider the sale, engage the community, and protect the legacy of Morrison YMCA. Save Morrison. Protect every branch. Make our voices heard.

The YMCA claims this sale will help fund renovations and investments across the region, yet many members are questioning why a nonprofit organization rooted in community service is choosing to sell one of its most beloved and successful branches for over $42 million while executive compensation continues to rise. According to public reporting, CEO compensation exceeded $400,000 in 2024.

Many in the community, including staff and YMCA members, see this decision as raising serious concerns about priorities, transparency, and accountability.

We are calling on the YMCA of Greater Charlotte Board of Directors and executive leadership to:

1. Explore alternative financial solutions that do not involve removing a foundational community institution from Ballantyne.
2. Pause the sale of the Morrison YMCA immediately.
3. Hold public community forums with members, families, staff, and volunteers before any final decision is made.
4. Release transparent financial justifications for why selling Morrison is necessary.
5. Honor the YMCA’s mission of strengthening communities rather than dismantling one of the very communities it helped build.

The YMCA was founded on principles of community, accessibility, youth development, and healthy living for all. Selling the Morrison YMCA without genuine collaboration with the people who built and sustained it contradicts those values. 

The YMCA Mission is: To put Christian principles into practice through programs that build healthy spirit, mind, and body for all. How can the YMCA live up to this mission if they are going to choose to sell the only Family branch in Ballantyne, especially after closing the Steele Creek YMCA and unsuccessful attempts to sell the Johnston YMCA in NODA.

Ballantyne deserves better.

The families, children, seniors, volunteers, and staff who invested years into making Morrison YMCA a thriving community center deserve a voice in its future.

We urge the YMCA of Greater Charlotte to reconsider this decision and work WITH the community instead of against it.

Save Morrison YMCA.
Save a cornerstone of Ballantyne.