A Homegrown Gym Wants to Open in Apple Valley: Los Campeones
Apple Valley might be getting a serious new place to train.
Los Campeones Gym, a Minnesota-born strength and boxing brand, has applied to open a location at 5550 Upper 147th St W in the city's Business Park area.
TLDR
Los Campeones, a Minnesota-born strength and boxing gym, wants to open in Apple Valley.
It's a homegrown chain that started in Minneapolis back in the early 1980s, with locations across the metro, including one already in Burnsville.
Known for heavy free weights, strongman gear, a posing room, and boxing at some sites, it's an old-school, no-frills training gym.
Proposed for 5550 Upper 147th St W in the Business Park district.
The city decides this summer: Planning Commission Aug 5, City Council Aug 27.
Who Is Los Campeones?
Los Campeones — Spanish for "The Champions" — is a Minnesota-born strength and boxing gym with roots in Minneapolis' old-school lifting scene. It traces back to the early 1980s and has stayed locally based ever since.
The brand grew under owner Benjamin Loehrer, a natural pro bodybuilder who took over the original locations around 2010 and expanded Los Campeones into multiple gyms across Minnesota. (Loehrer is also the name on the Apple Valley application.) Today it has spots around the Twin Cities — Minneapolis, St. Paul, Eden Prairie, Duluth — plus one already here in the south metro in Burnsville.
So this isn't an out-of-state brand parachuting in. It's a homegrown gym that's kept a gritty, old-school feel even as it's grown.
What's Being Proposed
The plan is to move Los Campeones into an existing building at 5550 Upper 147th St W, in Apple Valley's BP - Business Park District.
Because it's a gym, the city classifies it as "commercial recreation," which needs a conditional use permit to operate in the Business Park area. That's the main thing the city has to sign off on. The application came in through Mohagen Hansen Architecture on behalf of Benjamin Loehrer.
What You'd Find Inside a Los Campeones
Los Campeones locations are built for serious training, not treadmills and TVs. They're known for big free-weight rooms, squat racks, and specialty strength equipment, plus turf areas for sled pushes and functional work.
Many locations add strongman tools like atlas stones and yokes, a mirrored posing room for competitors prepping for shows, and a supplement shop right inside the gym. Some sites also have boxing setups — heavy bags, speed bags, even a competition ring at the Northeast Minneapolis location.
Amenities vary by site, and Apple Valley's buildout isn't designed publicly yet, so the exact mix here is still to come. But the overall vibe across the chain is old-school bodybuilding and powerlifting with modern equipment.
If You Want a Preview
You don't have to wait for the vote to see what Los Campeones is about — there's one up and running in Burnsville right now. It's open 24 hours (a rarity), stocked with serious equipment and a posing room, and has an in-gym store.
It's geared toward people who want to lift heavy and train seriously, but day passes and personal training keep it accessible even if you're not a competitor. That's a good preview of what an Apple Valley location would likely feel like.
Where It Stands
This one is still in the pipeline. The Planning Commission reviews it on August 5, 2026, and the City Council is scheduled to vote on August 27, 2026. So it's proposed, not approved.
Why It Matters
Apple Valley has been stacking up new ways to be active. Between the 18-court Picklehall, the new Skyline Social & Games, and now a proposed serious training gym, the city is quietly becoming a place to get out and move.
And unlike a typical big-box gym, Los Campeones is built around heavy lifting and skill work — racks and platforms, strongman gear, heavy bags, and real coaching. It's the kind of place people train for competitions or just want a no-frills, high-intensity workout. If it's approved, expect lifters and boxers in and out of that Business Park building.
The Bottom Line
Los Campeones Gym is proposed for Apple Valley's Business Park area, with the city set to decide by late August. If approved, the Apple Valley location would likely follow the same playbook as Burnsville and Northeast Minneapolis: heavy strength equipment, turf for functional training, and a boxing space. We'll update this if the council approves it.
FAQ
What is Los Campeones Gym? A Minnesota-born strength and boxing gym known for heavy free weights, strongman gear, and boxing at some locations, with spots across the metro including Burnsville.
What kind of workouts is it for? Lifters, boxers, and anyone who wants structured strength training — bodybuilding, powerlifting, functional turf work, and heavy-bag sessions, depending on the location.
Is it just for hardcore athletes? No. Plenty of competitive lifters and fighters train there, but they also offer personal training and beginner-friendly coaching. It's just a more serious, no-fluff atmosphere than a cardio-centric gym.
Where would the Apple Valley one go? Into an existing building at 5550 Upper 147th St W, in the Business Park district.
Is it approved yet? Not yet. The Planning Commission reviews it August 5, 2026, and the City Council votes August 27, 2026.
More at Los Campeones Gym, the Apple Valley Community Development page, or the Apple Valley development map.
