Local climbing gyms at odds over South Austin location

AUSTIN, Texas — Austin's climbing community has been rocked by a real estate dispute between two gyms.

In a social media post on Tuesday, Crux Climbing Center claimed that The Bouldering Project - Austin (ABP) negotiated with the landlord of Crux's South Austin location without their knowledge.

"It's honestly beyond heartbreaking to learn that another climbing business would do this to us. We are the ONLY local climbing gym in Austin," Crux wrote in the post, adding that, "There is room in Austin for multiple climbing gyms, and this was unnecessary."

Crux said it will have to let go of some of its employees, but it plans to create "something better" at a new location.

But ABP says Crux's claim isn't accurate.

In its own social media post on Wednesday, the climbing gym said that it is excited to add a third location in Austin, but felt it needed to address Crux's comments.

ABP said in 2022, Crux publicly shared plans to relocate its Pickle Road gym and, more recently, the landlord told ABP that Crux declined his terms to remain at that location, so he offered the space to ABP.

"We've always wanted to provide roped climbing to our members, so we signed a lease for the space. ABP did not interfere with the relationship between Crux and their landlord," the gym said. "We're surprised by Crux's response, given their plan all along was to close and relocate."

ABP ended its post by saying it looks forward to upgrading the Pickle Road facility and "ensuring it remains a part of the Austin climbing community."

In addition to the Pickle Road location, Crux also has locations on Dillard Circle in Central Austin and on North Heatherwilde Boulevard in Pflugerville, with plans to open a location in Houston. Meanwhile, The Bouldering Project has two locations in Austin – on Springdale Road and South Lamar Boulevard – plus locations in Boston, Brooklyn, Dallas, Minneapolis, Phoenix, Salt Lake City, Seattle and Washington, D.C.