National Climbing Center
Nieuwegein, Netherlands
Specs: The Dutch National Climbing Center (NCC), which is part of the Climbing Network chain, is under construction in Nieuwegein and expected to open in phases throughout 2026. Climbing Network, which operated as Mountain Network from 2006 to 2026 and announced its rebrand last week, is owned by Johan Cave, Leopold Roessingh and Frederick Houtenbos—all of whom are active directors and closely involved in operations and long-term strategy at the business. Founded as Cave Outdoor in 1986, Climbing Network opened its first indoor climbing gym in 1995 and has gradually focused purely on climbing—including boulder, lead, speed, indoor and outdoor climbing—transitioning out of alpine sports.
Demolished as part of the chain’s redevelopment plan, the original 1995 gym closed at the end of 2025 and was located a “stone’s throw” from the new build, the Climbing Network website states. Planning for the NCC began roughly ten years ago and was temporarily paused due to COVID. Houtenbos said the team waited until the business was stable and trending positively before proceeding with the project, ultimately beginning construction on May 7th, 2025. The gym is opening in phases, with some offerings already available, such as 28 top rope and lead climbing lanes and an introductory bouldering section. Other features are expected to be added over the next few months, before the gym will be fully open in the spring. A Climbing Network post describes the new build as “one of the largest climbing gyms of Europe” and a place that expands upon the previous Nieuwegein gym’s offerings, “with more space, facilities and climbing.”
Centrally located in the Hoeverijk District of the Netherlands, Houtenbos said the site for the NCC was selected after long-term planning and government collaboration, and it supports Climbing Network’s ambition to create a flagship-level facility. The gym was designed to be easily accessible for international teams via Amsterdam’s airport and rail network. Part of a mixed-use development including residential buildings, the gym acts as a sound barrier between the nearby houses and the business park. Large glass walls were designed to improve visibility and interaction between climbers and the surrounding neighborhood, with a goal of attracting non-climbers through observation, openness and hospitality. “People living there will see people climbing, even on the outdoor wall,” Houtenbos said. “By creating a low entry-level—coffee, walking in, watching climbers—we hope to attract new people to the sport.”
At completion, the new gym will be 5,100 square meters (54,896 square feet), with over 5,500 square meters (59,202 square feet) of climbable surface, split among an outdoor wall, 27 auto belay lanes, bouldering terrain, lead walls reaching 18 meters (59 feet) and speed climbing. Additional climbing amenities will include training zones with a spray wall, two Kilter Boards and an Olympic-style bouldering wall for elite and aspiring athletes. The gym’s ground floor, featuring top rope and lead climbing, has opened first to accommodate existing members, and the main lead, bouldering and training features are opening next. The gym will also have a strength and conditioning area, physiotherapy amenities, a conference room, terraces, an outdoor plaza for events and comps, and youth programming. “We really try to support that customer journey—the journey of a climber,” Houtenbos explained, adding, “People can start with an introduction area and then step by step move into higher levels.”
Because retail, food and hospitality are viewed as core components of the gym experience for Climbing Network, the gym will have a gear shop with La Sportiva and Petzl products, a restaurant run in-house, and an athlete residence for Dutch and international climbers. Houtenbos said the restaurant will be larger than those at other Climbing Network gyms due to the scale of the NCC facility. The athlete residence will include an in-house guest house, with approximately 20–23 beds, and was designed primarily for international teams, although it will also be open to visiting climbers. The idea behind the concept is to encourage multi-day visits and attract climbers from across Europe and beyond. “It will be available for international teams that want to come to the Netherlands and train here,” Houtenbos said. “We’ll also make it available for people who want to spend a whole weekend climbing and training…It really makes it easier for people who don’t live close by to visit.”
For Climbing Network, the NCC project represents the beginning of a company-wide transformation, during which the brand aims to develop more gyms offering all disciplines under one roof. Several existing Climbing Network gyms already follow this model, Houtenbos explained, and more mixed-discipline gyms are planned. “Bouldering has been booming over the last ten years, and financially it’s very attractive for gym owners,” he stated. “At the same time, we are a lead climbing company at heart, and we love that discipline. The challenge is creating the right mix that brings in new people, keeps existing climbers challenged, and still makes sense for the business, not just today, but five or ten years from now.”
Walls: Citywall
Flooring: Citywall
CRM Software: Sportivity
Website: mountain-network.nl/klimcentra/ncc/
Instagram: @MountainNetwork
In Their Words: “What we’ve learned from operating multiple facilities is that you need to support the full journey of a climber. Someone might come in for a kids’ party or a first introduction course, and from there they should be able to grow step by step into bouldering, lead climbing, speed climbing, and higher levels of difficulty. We try to offer all disciplines and all levels in one building, so climbing can really become a long-term lifestyle.” – Frederick Houtenbos, Financial Director and Co-Owner of Climbing Network
