The key facts
- The complex on Rabochaya Street in Podolsk is 65% complete, with opening planned by the end of 2026
- A neural network will analyze training sessions, and outdoor exercise machines will have QR codes with video instructions
- Students will be able to use the center free of charge — a decision by district head Grigory Artamonov
Sport plus esports: what will appear in Podolsk
A new-format sports center — a phygital center, where training on real grounds will be combined with virtual reality and computer games — is being built in Podolsk, Moscow Region. This was reported by RIAMO citing the administration of the city district; the outlet Life.ru also covered the project. The complex on Rabochaya Street is 65% complete, and it is planned to open by the end of 2026.
Digital workload monitoring system
One of the center's main features is a digital system for monitoring physical workloads: a neural network will track visitors' training results. QR codes will be placed on outdoor exercise machines; scanning them will give access to video instructions on how to perform exercises correctly and safely. Inside the building, a computer classroom and virtual reality zones will be installed, and free Wi-Fi will operate throughout the complex.
Who the project will affect
The center is being built near residential neighborhoods and the Podolsk Technical and Economic College, and special attention in the project is given to schoolchildren and students: by decision of the district head Grigory Artamonov, students will be able to use the sports infrastructure free of charge. The adjacent territory will feature a football field with artificial turf, as well as courts for streetball and workout areas.
The fourth in the region and context
The Podolsk phygital center will become the fourth such facility in the Moscow Region. The project developers expect that the combination of esports and regular training will help get teenagers, who are used to spending their free time at computers, interested in physical activity. At the construction site, the foundations for the outdoor sports zones have already been prepared, and the installation of the building's metal frame and utility systems is being completed. For comparison: Life.ru previously reported on the opening of Russia's first year-round free running center in Vladikavkaz, where sports grounds were also combined with a digital platform for signing up for sessions and booking lockers.
