What happened
The YMCA of Greater Charlotte announced a sale agreement for the Morrison Family YMCA property.
Save Morrison Coalition
This is our Y. Our community. Our voice. And we are going to make sure the people who love the Morrison YMCA are heard.
Let's be clear about what is at stake.
Morrison is the crown jewel of Ballantyne. It is childcare. It is swim lessons. It is camps. It is families, friends, routines, memories, and one of the few true gathering places Ballantyne has.
The price
Local reporting puts the proposed sale at $42.5 million to Moments of Hope Church.
The timeline
The branch is expected to stay open until summer 2027 while the deal moves toward closing.
The Save Morrison Coalition is where our voices come together.
Before now, the pushback toward the sale has been largely decentralized. Every person speaking up matters, but a much greater impact can be made if we combine our voices and push back together, all at once. That is what this coalition is here to do.
We are here to spread the word, organize people who want to help, share updates, support public pressure, and keep reminding decision makers that the Morrison YMCA is more than a line on a balance sheet.
Organized by JD Hopper
My name is JD Hopper. I am a local tutor and public speaker who grew up in Ballantyne and moved back here after graduating from UNC Chapel Hill.
I absolutely adore the YMCA, especially Morrison. It is my gym of choice as an adult, and I have so many childhood memories of going to that pool, particularly those red and blue water slides.
This is personal to me, and this movement is about every family that learned to swim here, every kid who found confidence here, every parent who relied on the Y, and every person who knows that a community can only stay strong if people are willing to stand up for it!"
Overwhelming success at our first rally
“This rally was one of the most spectacular displays of a community coming together to fight for what they believe in that this city has ever seen to SAVE OUR MORRISON YMCA! It is estimated that more than 500 people attended! An unbelievable amount of press was there! We had so many people share their stories through the megaphone: longtime employees, people who had been members for decades, young kids, young parents, members of Forest Hill Church, an entire YMCA youth acting club, and many more! They spoke and absolutely fired up the audience! People were crying in the crowd and shouting as we all collectively pushed to save our community cornerstone! There were members who traveled all the way from Virginia to be here. We had former board members come. We had people who were once members of the Morrison YMCA but had since moved out of state, and they came back specifically for this rally. It was unbelievable! We have to continue this momentum!”
-JD Hopper
In The Press
This movement is growing, and people are paying attention. Scroll through some of the coverage our community has already earned.
Queen City News at the rally
Queen City News interviewed Save Morrison Coalition organizer JD Hopper about the proposed Morrison YMCA sale, the community’s response, and possible alternatives for preserving the facility.
Read the coverage
QC News
Protest planned over Morrison YMCA sale as questions linger about Ballantyne facility's future
Coverage of the planned protest and the unanswered questions surrounding Morrison's future.
The Charlotte ObserverMorrison YMCA sale coverage in The Charlotte Observer
Local business reporting on the sale and what it means for the Ballantyne community.
QC News'Huge loss': Sale of beloved Ballantyne YMCA sparks community outrage
Neighbors and members respond to the proposed sale of a community cornerstone.
WCCB CharlotteLocal man plans boycott in response to news of Morrison Y closing and selling
Coverage of JD Hopper's early pushback and calls for community action.
The Charlotte ObserverLatest Observer coverage on the Morrison YMCA sale
Additional reporting on the sale, the public response, and the questions still being raised.
WFAEBallantyne residents protest sale of Morrison Family YMCA
Reporting from the rally as residents gathered to oppose the sale.
WSOC-TVHundreds protest plans to sell Morrison Family YMCA in Ballantyne
Television coverage of the large community protest outside Morrison.
AOL NewsAhead of Ballantyne YMCA protest, latest on controversial Morrison sale
Nationally syndicated coverage of the controversy and upcoming protest.
Yahoo NewsProtest planned over Morrison YMCA sale
Yahoo's syndicated coverage of the protest and questions around the facility's future.
Buy T-Shirts to Financially Contribute to the Cause!
Wearing the message helps spread the word, and buying a shirt helps financially support the work of this movement.
Shop the shirts
How you can help right now
It is absolutely essential that we strike while the iron is hot and keep our momentum going. You do not have to go overboard. But spreading the word is the most helpful thing that can be done right now.
- Sign up for the email list so we can reach you when it matters.
- Follow and share the Facebook and Instagram pages.
- Talk with your neighbors, your family, your friends, and the people you see at the Y.
- Send ideas, contacts, and places where JD should speak to admin@savemorrison.org.
Listen, show up, and bring people with you.
Speeches, meetings, rallies, and conversations all do the same thing: they let people know this movement is real and growing.