LA Fitness to open at SouthSide Works

The Soffer Organization formally announced that LA Fitness plans to open a facility at the SouthSide Works in the former 23,189 square foot location of Joseph-Beth Booksellers on the corner of 27th and Carson Streets.The two-level fitness center plans to open by the end of the year and employ 40 people. It will be the seventh location in the Pittsburgh area for LA Fitness LA Fitness Latest from The Business Journals Gym business undergoes upheavalEdwards Marq*E renovation unveiled, retail space lostNine West to close at SouthSide Works Follow this company .Damian Soffer, president and CEO of the Soffer Organization, called LA Fitness a “perfect addition” for the development and the South Side as a whole.
William Horner, senior vice president and chief real estate officer of LA Fitness International, said the new location is expected to appeal to residents of the South Side, Mount Washington and Oakland.The location will offer more than 80 pieces of the latest cardio equipment with individual viewing screens, circuit training, and free weight areas as well as group fitness classes that include indoor cycling, dance, Pilates and yoga in a facility somewhat smaller than other LA Fitness locations in the region.LA Fitness has begun distributing fliers to recruit new membership for the new South Side location, offering month-to-month no contract memberships with $99 registration and monthly dues of $29.99.
By: Tim Schooley covers retail, real estate, small business, hospitality and media for the Pittsburgh Business Times

Muscle Beach® Comes to the Carolinas

Muscle Beach® Comes to the Carolinas


- Muscle Beach®, the iconic fitness brand that single-handedly jumpstarted the fitness revolution, has converted a former Nautilus Fitness Center in Orangeburg South Carolina to their prestigious brand.Wilbraham, MA, July 19, 2011 -- Muscle Beach®, the iconic fitness brand that single-handedly jumpstarted the fitness revolution, has converted a former Nautilus Fitness Center in Orangeburg South Carolina to their prestigious brand.“As the entity that led to the establishment of Gold's Gym® and a number of other well-known fitness chains, it should come as no surprise to anyone that we’re now the brand of choice throughout the industry,” comments Muscle Beach® Founder and Chairman, Danny Lucien “The Solution” Tschirret.With over 30,000 square feet of space, the facility offers a fitness center, group exercise studio, basketball court, racquetball court, martial arts dojo, and a swimming pool. It is owned by Ramon and Asha Rodriguez, who have operated the club for more than 25 years.
“With Muscle Beach®, we instantly went from ordinary to legendary; from a club with virtually no identity to one with worldwide recognition and mass appeal. And all we had to do to accomplish that was to change our signage. It was that easy,” comments Asha.“We were looking for a well-established name, but didn’t want to get hammered with huge franchise fees or have our method of operation restricted,” adds Ramon.The couple looks forward to continuing the long rich history and tradition of Muscle Beach® in Orangeburg South Carolina, where they will operate their facility as a Muscle Beach® athletic club.To open a new Muscle Beach® fitness business or convert an existing one to their prestigious brand, call 413-575-5320 or visit www.musclebeachbrand.com. About Muscle Beach®:An American institution and fitness icon, Muscle Beach® is owned by United States-based Muscle Beach, Inc. With operations in more than 50 countries, they are the world's largest fitness promotion. More than 75 years ago, Muscle Beach single-handedly jumpstarted the fitness revolution; the movement that led to the eventual establishment of Gold's Gym® and a number of other well-known fitness chains.An American institution and fitness icon, Muscle Beach® is owned by United States-based Muscle Beach, Inc.
Contact:
Daniel Tschirret, MBA
Muscle Beach, Inc.
2141 Boston Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095

Health Club News .....Ethics rule on free health club admission

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- A 21-year-old state ethics rule barring West Virginia elected officials and public employees from accepting free admission to health clubs and exercise centers could be revised soon. The Ethics Commission on Thursday debated, but did not vote on a request from a state agency attorney seeking an exception to the health club ban for those traveling on government business.
At issue are hotels and motels that don't have on-site exercise facilities, but provide passes or reimburse costs for guests to visit nearby health clubs.
Under a legislative rule adopted in 1990, public employees and officials are barred from accepting a variety of perks and benefits while traveling or attending conferences. In addition to being prohibited from accepting free passes to health clubs, public officials cannot accept free rounds of golf, for example.
Joan Parker, commission general counsel, noted that when the rule was adopted, hotels that featured health clubs typically provided premium facilities, offering massages and other spa services -- a benefit distinct from today's exercise and workout centers.In the request for an advisory opinion, the agency attorney noted that, these days, most hotels and motels provide exercise facilities at no additional charge to guests, and stated that agency staff should not be barred from accepting health club passes from those hotels that do not have on-site facilities.
"West Virginia is at the top of the list for obesity and other health problems," the request noted. "The state should be encouraging people to exercise when traveling on government business."Parker noted that a recent Ethics Commission advisory opinion similarly deemed that public employees' participation in free or discounted wellness programs does not constitute a violation of the state Ethics Act's prohibition on using public office for private gain.The commission on Thursday postponed a vote to approve the advisory opinion until August, after some commissioners raised questions, including former state Sen. Jack Buckalew.
"What would you say to the golfer who says, "I play golf for exercise?" he asked.
Parker said golf raises separate ethical issues, since the person who pays for the round of golf is effectively paying for access to the public official during the round.
Buckalew said he had other issues with the request, contending that public officials should be expected to carry out their public duties without the expectation of any "enticements," such as access to exercise facilities when traveling.
Under the Ethics Act, the identities of individuals or agencies seeking advisory opinions are kept confidential.
By Phil Kabler

Health Club News...Five Gold's Gyms converting to Fitness Connection health clubs

A Virginia company that owns five Gold's Gyms in the Triangle is converting the health clubs to a new name and promising various improvements for members.McLean, Va.-based Titan Fitness is changing the local Gold's locations to Fitness Connection clubs. Members will start to notice new signs as early as next week, said Titan spokesman Matt Amodeo.Health clubs changing hands often create hassles related to fees, contracts and other changes that spur complaints among members. But Amodeo said this transition should be seamless for local customers.The clubs' staff, contracts and prices won't change. The parent corporation is also the same and Titan plans to add new equipment, age-specific fitness programs, dietitians and other services."We want to adopt an overall wellness approach," Amodeo said. "We have more flexibility as an independent chain to add things members have been asking for."Titan recently bought the Houston-based Fitness Connection chain and ended its affiliation with Gold's. Titan owns 17 clubs in the Triangle; Greenville, N.C.; Houston, Texas; and Nevada.But one change will effect local members who travel. Previously, they could use other Gold's Gyms across the country for free.Now members will have access to more than 9,000 clubs in other cities affiliated with the International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association. Many will offer free access, but some will charge a small fee, Amodeo said.The conversion of the Gold's locations in this market will happen over the next three or four months, including various marketing and education efforts to explain the switch, Amodeo said. After that, Titan will look to add more Fitness Connection clubs in this region.The Gold's Gyms that are converting to Fitness Connection are located in Raleigh at North Hills, on Six Forks Road and on Glenwood Avenue; in Cary on Kildaire Farm Road; and in the Durham side of Research Triangle Park on Emperor Blvd.

Health Club News...YMCA gym sold to Griffith Development LLC

Griffith Development LLC has bought the gym housing the Beaverton Family YMCA for $1.28 million, a sale that closed Monday afternoon, according to Dann Wonser, real estate broker at Macadam Forbes.

The previous property owner, Pardee Properties, managed by Tami Pardee, sold the site at 4925 S.W. Griffith Drive after settling a $1.5 million lawsuit with the YMCA of Columbia-Willamette.

In the lawsuit, Pardee alleged that the nonprofit broke its lease agreement by persuading members to join a competing gym and failing to repair or replace equipment.

As part of the settlement, the gym will close July 29 and transfer gym membership, group exercise programs and older-adult programs to the Beaverton Hoop YMCA. By the end of August, the YMCA will no longer have any financial obligations with Pardee.

Griffith Development, an investor, plans to remodel the site and reopen it fall 2012, according to Bruce Patton, YMCA vice president.

-- Dominique Fong Follow @BvrtnReporter

Health Club News ....YMCA to close Health Club Facility

The YMCA of Columbia-Willamette is closing its Beaverton Family gym, after the site's property owner dropped a $1.5 million lawsuit and reached a settlement with the nonprofit. The Beaverton Family site at 4925 S.W. Griffith Drive will close July 29, according to a statement from Bruce Patton, the nonprofit’s vice president.
Starting Aug. 1, gym membership, group exercise programs and older adult programs will be transferred to the Beaverton Hoop YMCA at 9685 S.W. Harvest Court, according to a memo sent out to gym members, volunteers and staff.
The announcement comes nearly a year after Tami Pardee, co-owner of the property with her husband Michael Pardee, filed a lawsuit claiming that the nonprofit broke its lease agreement. In the lawsuit, Tami Pardee alleged that the nonprofit tried to persuade Beaverton Family members to join the Hoop location – when, according to the agreement, it was supposed to return club membership to Pardee once the 10-year lease expired in 2013 – and failed to repair or replace equipment. Pardee and the YMCA reached a settlement after Pardee identified a buyer for the property, which has an assessed value of $3,249,830, according to Washington County assessment and taxation records. The price of the sale – which the memo says is “imminent” – and the name of the buyer are unknown. “We made a reasonable settlement regarding both the balance of the lease obligation and the facility maintenance,” Patton said in a statement. Patton would not disclose the remaining balance to be paid or how much maintenance would cost the nonprofit, only that the nonprofit’s financial obligations to Pardee end Aug. 31, 2011. The new owner plans to remodel the building and reopen fall 2012, Patton said. When the Beaverton Family gym reduced hours and cut services last fall, some members dropped their affiliation and a high school racquetball team scrambled to find a gym for practice.
Besides the Beaverton clubs, the YMCA also manages fitness centers, camps and youth sports in Portland, Vancouver, Gresham and Sherwood. Pardee, who lives in California, bought the health club from her father, who opened it in 1978. Calls were left with Pardee and her attorney for comment.
-- Dominique Fong
Follow @BvrtnReporter

Health Club News....Former Peak Fitness Executives Charged with Fraud

Jeffrey Stec and Kenneth Handley, former executives of the bankrupt Peak Fitness club chain, have been charged with commercial loan fraud and money laundering conspiracy, the Charlotte Observer reports. Stec, who owned Peak Fitness, and Handley, who was the company’s chief financial officer, fraudulently obtained loans from Wells Fargo and Wachovia, loans that ended up costing the banking institutions almost $2 million combined, according to court documents filed in an indictment on Monday. Prosecutors say Stec and Handley wanted to purchase a condo on Isle of Palms, SC, for $915,000, and the money from a $590,000 commercial loan from Wachovia obtained in 2007 was diverted into Handley’s personal bank account, the newspaper reports. Handley later was approved for an $856,000 loan from Wells Fargo, most of which was transferred back into business accounts, the indictment says.
Stec also obtained three more loans from Wachovia in 2007 and 2008 totaling $3.8 million. The loans allegedly were intended to build or upgrade clubs in Winston-Salem, NC; Kingsport, TN; and Danville, VA, but the money was diverted to other purposes, according to the Observer. Prosecutors claim Wells Fargo lost about $230,000 and Wachovia about $1.7 million. Stec sold Fitness Management Group, the parent company of Peak Fitness, in 2007 and bought it back the following year. He also owned Peak Performance Motorsports, which he used for NASCAR competition, according to the indictment. Fitness Management Group filed for bankruptcy in 2009. Nevada-based Fuzion Investment Capital LLC bought the assets of Peak Fitness out of bankruptcy and later added Allstate Financial Group, Bothell, WA, as an investor. The former Peak Fitness clubs that remained in operation were changed to ZX Fitness. Last month, ZX Fitness closed three clubs in South Carolina.

Health Club News...Titan Fitness has completed a $4.6 million equity offering.

HOUSTON -- Titan Fitness has completed a $4.6 million equity offering, raising the amount from three investors. The owner and operator of 15 Fitness Connection health clubs in Raleigh, N.C., Reno, Nevada, and Houston, Texas is backed by WestView Capital Partners, a $500 million private equity fund based in Boston, and National City Equity Partners, a Cleveland based private equity fund.Executives and directors named in an SEC filing disclosing the capital raise include:

- Jeffrey Skeen, CEO
- A.J. Mushtaq, CFO
- Aaron Lieberman, CDO
- Dal Clayton, COO
- Josh Harwood, SVP
- John Turner from Boston-based WestView Capital Partners
- Matthew Carroll from WestView Capital Partners
- Richard Williams from WestView Capital Partners
- Steve Pattison from Cleveland-based National City Equity Partners

Prior to forming Titan Fitness, Skeen was a principal and the CEO of Titan Management Solutions (TMS), where he worked with Gold's Gym franchisees in opening and operating gyms throughout the U.S. Before that, Skeen was a principal and CIO of Gold's Gym International for four years.Headquartered in McLean, Va., Titan creates, acquires, and operate health clubs and says that it intends to purchase health club chains with strong management teams in place that have a focus on growth. Titan says that it will provide the processes, systems and tools for each regional management team to operate as fitness franchise in their respective markets.Earlier this month, Gold's Gym International announced that it has agreed to part ways with Titan Fitness.
By Brian Wolak

Health Club News......The Top 100 Health Clubs

By Stuart Goldman, managing editor
Click Here For Full Story.
Club Industry
On the surface, Club Industry’s Top 100 Clubs list for 2010 looks a lot like the Top 100 Clubs list for 2009. The top four clubs this year were the same top four clubs last year.24 Hour Fitness, San Ramon, CA, is once again at the top of the list with an estimated $1.352 billion in 2010 revenue. This marks the eighth consecutive year that 24 Hour has topped the Top 100 list. 24 Hour, a private company, did not provide a specific revenue number, instead stating that its revenue was more than $1 billion. However, based on the company’s number last year, we have estimated the $1.352 billion. Whereas 24 Hour listed more than 425 clubs in operation at the end of 2009, the company listed 420 clubs in operation at the end of 2010 after the relocation and closing of some clubs. LA Fitness, Irvine, CA, is second for the second year in a row with an estimated $1 billion in 2010 revenue. LA Fitness reported 36 more clubs in 2010 than it had in operation in 2009. (LA Fitness also would not offer a specific figure for 2010 revenue.) Earlier this year, LA Fitness was in discussions to acquire Urban Active, Lexington, KY, which is owned by parent company Global Fitness Holdings, but that deal fell through. Urban Active just missed making the top 10 on this year’s list, coming in at No. 11 with a reported $100.2 million, a 16 percent increase over its $86.7 million revenue in 2009. The proposed acquisition might have pushed LA Fitness into the No. 1 spot on next year’s Top 100 Clubs list. Life Time Fitness, Chanhassen, MN, is No. 3 on the list with a reported $912.8 million in revenue, a 9 percent increase from its 2009 revenue of a reported $837 million. Despite the recession of the previous two years, Life Time has steadily increased its revenue the past three years. It experienced a 9 percent increase in revenue in 2009 from $769.6 million in 2008. Club Corp., Dallas, holds steady at No. 4 with an estimated $812 million in 2010 revenue. Although the company did not provide specific numbers, a source confirmed that the $812 million estimate was in line with the same revenue the company reported in 2009.
The new club on this year’s list is not really a new name but perhaps the most intriguing. Bally Total Fitness, Chicago, which became a private company after two bankruptcies and did not report revenue figures a year ago, is No. 5 with a reported $550 million in 2010 revenue. That figure is a 48 percent decrease from its reported revenue of $1.059 billion in 2006. Bally’s decline includes a sharp drop from 2006 to 2007 revenue ($650 million) and a slight decrease from 2007 to 2008 revenue ($634 million). Bally reported 276 clubs in operation in 2010. That’s also a sharp decline from the 400 clubs it had in operation in 2006. Bally closed a number of clubs after its second bankruptcy in 2009. It remains to be seen whether Bally will appear on next year’s Top 100 Clubs list. As of the date this story was posted, there were indications of serious negotiations of a sale of Bally to Gold’s Gym International, Irving, TX, which would produce a seismic shift in the landscape of the industry. Gold’s, which is owned by private equity firm TRT Holdings, has not reported revenue figures for several years, although it did report 700 clubs in operation in 2010. A Bally sale has been rumored in the past, especially after its second bankruptcy. According to several sources, this time, a sale could be imminent. Town Sports International, New York, comes in at No. 6 on this year’s list with a reported $462.4 million in revenue. That’s a 5 percent decrease from 2009 ($485.4 million) and a 9 percent decrease from 2008 ($506.7 million). Planet Fitness, Newington, NH, continues its steady rise on the Top 100 Clubs list, ranking No. 7 with $157.1 million in 2010 revenue, a 21 percent increase from 2009 ($129.5 million). Planet Fitness, which was No. 8 last year and No. 10 two years ago, reported 390 clubs in operation compared to 310 in 2009. The 2010 revenue for Planet Fitness includes its 33.3 percent stake in PFNY LLC, Yonkers, NY, a Planet Fitness franchisee that operates 26 clubs in the New York City area. PFNY is No. 20 on this year’s Top 100 list with $56.3 million in 2010 revenue. Capital Fitness Inc., Big Rock, IL, which operates Xsport Fitness, is No. 8 with $142 million in revenue. Rounding out the top 10 are No. 9 Western Athletic Clubs, San Francisco ($121 million, which was a 13 percent increase in revenue), and No. 10 Lifestyle Family Fitness, St. Petersburg, FL ($102.4 million). After Urban Active at No. 11, the next four club companies on this year’s list also are familiar names in the industry: No. 12 Midtown Athletic Clubs, Chicago ($93 million); No. 13 Millennium Partners Sports Club Management, Boston ($92 million); No. 14 Sport and Health, McLean, VA ($90 million); and No. 15 Club One, San Francisco ($79.5 million). Of those four companies, Midtown Athletic Clubs experienced the greatest revenue growth—a 12 percent increase from its $83 million in revenue in 2009. Equinox, New York, which was No. 6 on last year’s Top 100 Clubs list with an estimated $344 million in revenue, did not provide numbers for this year’s list, so it has been moved to the missing club company list. For all companies on this year’s Top 100 Clubs list that did not provide specific revenue figures for 2010, their revenue was estimated flat.
After the July issue of Club Industry went to press, Spectrum Athletic Clubs, El Segundo, CA, reported it had $90 million in revenue in 2010, which would have placed the company in a tie for 14th on this year’s Top 100 Clubs list. However, because its 2009 revenue of $89.2 million was an estimate, the company does not appear on this year’s list. Also, New York Health and Racquet Club (NYHRC), New York, responded with its financial information for 2010 after the July issue deadline. NYHRC reported $41 million in revenue for 2010, which would have placed the company 27th on this year’s list. However, it is listed at No. 21 on this year’s list with a flat estimate of $55.7 million from 2009. One company that made a huge leap on the Top 100 Clubs list was American Leisure Corp., Nanuet, NY. American Leisure jumped from No. 83 on last year’s list (when it had an estimated $7.2 million) to No. 48 with a reported $20 million in 2010. Officials at the company credit the acquisition of a few big accounts—one of which is in Saudi Arabia—for the increase. PH Fitness Inc., dba Fitness First, Frederick MD, also had a dramatic increase in revenue. PH Fitness reported $36.8 million in 2010, good for 31st place on this year’s list. Last year, PH Fitness was at No. 45 after reporting $25 million in 2009. Owner Peter Harvey credits implementing personal training in his clubs for the rise in revenue.“Frankly, it’s getting more competitive than ever,” Harvey says.
Making its debut on the Top 100 Clubs list is Mountainside Fitness, Tempe, AZ, which tied for 44th with Healthworks Fitness Centers, Boston, with $23 million in 2010 revenue. Eight of the nine Mountainside clubs are in Arizona, with the other club located in Colorado. Anytime Fitness, Hastings, MN, and Snap Fitness, Chanhassen, MN—both 24-hour key-card club companies—climbed a few spots this year. Anytime Fitness reported $33.7 million in revenue in 2010, a 12 percent increase that moved it from 38th to 35th place on this year’s list. Snap Fitness reported $29 million in 2010 revenue, a 9 percent increase that moved it from 44th to 41st place. Cooper Fitness Center, Dallas, saw a decrease in revenue, caused by the fact that it no longer owns the Craig Ranch location but does have a management contract to run the facility. Cooper Fitness Center reported $8.3 million in 2010 revenue after reporting $12.4 million in 2009 revenue, resulting in a fall from 62nd to 78th place on this year’s list. Of the 100 companies on this year’s list, nearly half (47) reported increases in revenue from 2009 to 2010. Only 17 club companies reported decreases in revenue compared to 36 companies that had decreases on last year’s list. In some cases, revenue increases or decreases were influenced by the number of employees that companies reported in 2010. Of the 100 companies on this list, 28 gained employees, and 28 had fewer employees than they had in 2009. Almost one-fourth of the companies (23) had no change in their number of employees. The Top 100 Clubs list ranks club companies by revenue in the previous year. It is not intended to rank clubs based on quality or segment service.
Missing Clubs
The following clubs and franchisors are large enough to be included on the Top 100 Clubs list, but their owners did not complete a Top 100 Clubs form, and we were not able to find another way to estimate their revenue.

The Alaska Clubs, Anchorage, AK
Bailey’s Gym Inc., dba Powerhouse Gyms, Jacksonville, FL
Brick Bodies, Cockeysville, MD
California Family Fitness, Orangevale, CA
Champion Fitness Inc., dba Bally Total Fitness, Syracuse, NY
Chelsea Piers, New York, NY
Club Fit, Jefferson Valley, NY
Curves, Waco, TX
Equinox, New York, NY
Fitness USA, West Bloomfield, MI
Franco’s Athletic Clubs, Mandeville, LA
Gold’s Gym International, Irving, TX
Healthplex Sports Club, Springfield, PA
In-Shape Health Club Inc., Stockton, CA
Lady of America, Fort Lauderdale, FL
Lakeshore Athletic Clubs, Chicago
MVP Sportsclubs, Orlando, FL
PRO Sports Club, Bellevue, WA
SIM Investment Corp., dba The Right Stuff Health Club, San Jose, CA
Spectrum Athletic Clubs, El Segundo, CA
Titan Fitness Holdings, McLean, VA
Wheaton Sports Center, Wheaton, IL
Women’s Workout World, Chicago
WOW! Work Out World, Wall, NJ
WTS International, Rockville, MD

Health Club News....Former NBA Star Dies While Shooting Hoops at LA Fitness Health Club

A former NBA star and Bethel Park native died Tuesday night while playing a pickup basketball game at LA Fitness in Collier Township.

Armen Gilliam, 47, collapsed around 9 p.m. while playing basketball in the gym’s indoor courts. A bystander performed CPR on him until paramedics from Kirwan Heights could arrive at the scene.

“He just collapsed on the court,” said Joe Wissel Jr., the EMS director at Kirwan Heights. “We basically did everything we could for him.”

Gilliam was taken to St. Clair Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 9:28 p.m., according to the Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s office. The cause of death is pending an autopsy, which has yet to be performed.

Gilliam was a star player at Bethel Park High School before playing college ball at UNLV. He was the second overall choice in the 1987 draft and played professional basketball for 13 seasons before retiring in 2000.

"Armen was just a down-to-earth guy," said Jon Burton, a friend of Gilliam. "You would never know he was a NBA star—very unassuming. I'm sad to lose him, but at least he went out doing what he loved to do, playing basketball."

Fitness Equipment Manufacturing Stays Global, But China's Luster May Fade Health Club News

By Pamela Kufahl, editor Club Industry

As Star Trac moves its manufacturing from to mainland China, the spotlight has shown even brighter on that country as a location for fitness equipment manufacturing. China’s low labor costs have meant a slight advantage for companies that have manufacturing plants or partners there, some suppliers say, but as China’s labor costs continue to rise, that advantage may be dwindling. Does that mean that the U.S. manufacturing market will see growth?Doug Johns, global marketing director at Precor, Woodinville, WA, says it could. “In manufacturing in general, the trend is going to be that America will have a more competitive position than we have had,” he says. However, rising Chinese labor costs were just one factor in the decision by Med-Fit Systems, Fallbrook, CA, to move its Nautilus manufacturing from Taiwan and China to its Independence, VA, facility earlier this year, says Dean Sbragia, CEO of Med-Fit Systems. Med-Fit bought that plant for $2.1 million from Nautilus after its purchase of Nautilus’ commercial business last year. “It’s kind of the perfect storm right now—weak dollar, rising Chinese prices, rising energy prices,” Sbragia says. “To have control over our development, design, engineering, manufacturing and distribution all under one roof and absorbing that overhead increases our margins and allows us to be more competitive. The more volume we do through our factory, the more manufacturing variances we absorb, the more competitive we can be in this market. It all makes sense to us to utilize that facility to its fullest capacity.”http://clubindustry.com/inside_manufacturers/fitness-equipment-manufacturing-stays-global-but-chinas-luster-fades-20110701/?cid=nl_nb

Health Club News...."Urban Active Opens in Atlanta".....Health Club News

Urban Active CEO Royce Pulliam was joined at the Atlanta club's grand opening by many celebrity guests, including trainer Carlos Daniels and singer Jasmine Guy. Urban Active, Lexington, KY, attracted a star-studded crowd to the grand opening of its new Buckhead location in Atlanta last month. "Real Housewives of Atlanta" stars Sheree Whitfield, Phaedra Parks and Kandi Burruss were in attendance, as well as celebrity trainers Rahman Grayson, who trains Mary J. Blige, and Cliff Boyce, who works with Beyonce, Usher and Lil Wayne. Despite recently facing several lawsuits and receiving an "F" from the Better Business Bureau of Ohio for charging members after they canceled their memberships, the company continues to expand. CEO Royce Pulliam says the Buckhead club, the 36th for Urban Active, will likely be the first of several in the area. "We are very excited about the initial response to our first store and look forward to being the fitness choice for all of Atlanta in years to come,” says Pulliam. "We feel that our high energy product and service matches up with what Atlanta residents are looking for and expect in the ultimate fitness experience. We will focus the next 10 years in building out the market and are currently negotiating on three new sites in the city.”

Closed Gym's Members May Have Refund As Option

GREENVILLE, S.C. -- If you are a former ZX Fitness member, you may have more options available than you thought. When ZX Fitness closed three of its gyms in the Upstate, members were told they could work out the remainder of their contracts at another gym. However, the South Carolina Department of Consumer Affairs says ZX Fitness members are not obligated to attend another gym and may be entitled to a refund. "Some members said they were told by ZX Fitness that they had to attend an alternative (gym). We want consumers to know that that is not correct," said Carri Grube Lybarker, acting administrator for the South Carolina Department of Consumer Affairs. Last month, ZX Fitness closed its facilities in Greenville, Spartanburg and Taylors. The owner of Coop's Fitness announced ZX Fitness members could work out the remainder of their contracts at his facility. While the offer was welcomed by ZX Fitness members, some Coop's Fitness members complained about overcrowding and parking problems, resulting from the influx of new people. But now, ZX Fitness members can cancel their memberships altogether if they choose, and those who paid for their memberships in advance may be entitled to a refund. "It's basic contract law," Lybarker said. "When a consumer signs up for a membership with ZX Fitness, they signed up for that location, and not another location."Lybarker said ZX Fitness members who paid in full and are unable to obtain a refund should file a complaint with her office by calling 1-800-922-1594. Full Document: SCDCA Release On ZX Fitness Michael Cooper, Coop’s owner, told News 4 he did not buy out ZX Fitness. He says he made no money on memberships paid in full and on those with payments pending he'll get half the money with the rest going to ZX. Cooper said there is a lot of misinformation out there, which has even gotten his management threatened by customers. Cooper said no one is being forced to use his gym. He urged any ZX customers wanting to cancel to call that company's main office. But Cooper said he's already put in purchase orders for new equipment and for some of ZX's old equipment. News 4 has also learned that the Curves location in Taylors has decided to honor the ZX Fitness memberships, too.

Mark Fisher, the president and CEO of Sport&Health

By Tyler Montgomery Club Solutions:
Like many successful people, losing is not an option. Mark Fisher, the president and CEO of Sport&Health located in the Washington D.C. Metro Area, is no exception to the rule. “I’m fiercely competitive and I want to win,” Fisher explained in a quick switch toward a serious tone.Fisher has strived to be a winner his entire life. It’s that winning mentality that has made him so vital to Sport&Health, and why he was asked to continue as President, while also leading as CEO. Fisher, 51, discussed winning at least 10 times throughout the Club Solutions interview. Clearly, the concept is something he takes extremely serious. Winning is the main reason he has stuck with Sport&Health for so many years.In his mind, competition is on the club’s doorstep. “The competition is coming, and the time is now,” he said when discussing a need to constantly be working and advancing. Although, Fisher doesn’t have a lot of time to open a book, he has focused his life on three main literary sources: “The Art of War,” “The Power of Now” and “Rhinoceros Success.”
Each book is significant on its own; however, “The Power of Now” has been a driving force for Fisher. In his mind, there is always going to be tomorrow and yesterday, but today is the day that he is executing — today is the day that Sport&Health is growing.“Now, we have become incredibly focused on improving the member and employee experience,” he said. “That’s probably what I’m bringing to the table now. Creating a sense of community with our clubs, recognizing that our GMs are the key to our success and creating a sense of urgency within our company.”Sport&Health already has a vast membership of about 160,000, in 25 clubs spread throughout the Washington D.C. Metro, which encompasses Maryland, Virginia and the nation’s capital (one of the fittest cities in America, according to Men’s Health Magazine). Fisher said the first thing Sport&Health needed to do to improve the member and employee experience, was to realize the GMs’ importance in the company. “Regardless of the culture we think we have from a corporate perspective, the culture is really driven on the club level by the GMs that have ownership of each location,” he explained. “They are included in the decisions we make as a company — they help shape the direction of the company. We are opening our ears more than ever to their feedback as to what we are doing right, what we are doing wrong and policies we have in place that affect the member experience.”By empowering the GMs, a waterfall effect was created that has extended down to the member. “When the GM is engaged and feels appreciated, they communicate that to the member and they feel empowered when the member brings to our attention something that we could do better,” he explained. “The GMs feel like that’s not going to fall on deaf ears, they believe ‘I can be a voice for the member and share with the ownership group what needs to change.’”Working closer with GMs has given Sport&Health Corporate insight to the members. They can better understand what they are doing well and where they can improve. Although, Fisher understands for a company to improve it must be selfless enough to look at itself objectively.“Honestly, Sport&Health’s time is now,” Fisher expressed. “There has never been more urgency in this company to grow, provide opportunities for our employees and team members, and to make a difference in the member experience. When we roll out an initiative, I want it to be immediate, and because of the size of our company, we can be fairly nimble and quick to change.”
Desire to be Third Place
The above subtitle may appear that Fisher has a desire to be Third Place in the fitness industry. Don’t be so naive. Sport&Health has taken a quick look at Starbucks and its early success.“In the beginning, they did a great job of being that third place,” Fisher said. Starbucks developed themselves to be the third place in a person’s life — work, home and Starbucks. Sport&Health wants to take that third-place position in people’s lives — just another step in bettering the member experience.Sport&Health uses the city of Washington D.C. to entice members to use their facilities outside of fitness. They attempt to have facilities close to members that make it easy for them to utilize restaurants, cafés and other clubs. Fisher said they push members to come to the clubs for Redskin football games. “Members can bring in their own food or we can help them with catering,” Fisher said. “We serve some type of food, including smoothies and sandwiches in all the clubs. One club has a restaurant.”Employees are a major player in terms of improving and sustaining the member experience. For Fisher, the best way to continually improve the member experience is through the GMs — they are the best sources to reaching the third place.Since Fisher has accepted his new role as CEO, he has been devoted to the belief that the speed of the leader is the speed of the pack. He has spent time thinking about the long-term position of Sport&Health. “As it starts to trickle down to the GMs, it’s about avoiding paralysis through analysis. Helping them understand that they can impact the member experience immediately and help us shorten the distance from idea to implementation.”To help the GMs understand their power in the club, Fisher has them come once a month for corporate meetings where they share best practices with each other. “Typically, in a company our size, GMs will feel they are operating on an island,” Fisher said. “Because we are local, it’s fairly easy for us to have all our GMs in one room to discuss what’s working and what’s not working, and how we can improve.”In terms of growth, Sport&Health is engaging its members on the social front by creating social spaces for members to interact. “In our new-build design, we are implementing places where the members want to hang out, where they want to get connected and where they want to relax. We are hosting a lot of social events, parties and member outings. We are a meeting point for the members before they go on their bike rides, their outdoor walks or wine tasting events at our clubs.“You can have a space in your club where you can have a healthy cooking class, or where the members can come together and have a wine tasting party, or where they can all meet after their 5K run and watch the game on TV. And, we are integrating that now.”With all the commitments in people’s lives, with family, work and staying active, it’s important for them to have a place that can harbor all of those needs. Fisher believes that it’s the role of the club, especially Sport&Health, to be that harbor. “We want our clubs to be the third place in somebody’s life. They go to work, they go home and there needs to be this third place in their lives where they can get a number of their hierarchy needs met. Having those social spaces creates a space in our clubs, so that when people are pressed for time, and they only have one spot in their life for another place, their third place, we want it to be one of our clubs. We recognize that people have less and less time, and if they are going to come to our club to workout, we want them to feel a sense of community.”Right Here, Right Now Fisher said there isn’t a time frame for change at Sport&Health. Again, he said the time is now. “There has never been more urgency at this company to grow, provide opportunity for our employees and team members, and to make a difference in the member experience,” Fisher said. “When we roll out initiatives, I want them to be immediate. When we are rolling out something that is going to affect the member experience or the employee experience, I want it to happen today.”Being member focused has been Fisher’s goal since he began working in clubs in high school. Transforming his knowledge of the member experience to his own clubs, Exertech in Wichita, Kan. between 1986 and 1999, gave him the vast knowledge to engage the healthy-member market found in Washington D.C. “A lot of things have come together at the right time, now, for it to be Sport&Health’s time,” Fisher said. “I have a three and five year plan strategically, but everything I’m doing right now as the CEO of this company is about today. I want to impact people today.”Some of the major impacts in the foreseeable future include the addition of three more clubs and becoming a more regional player, all by impacting the member experience.“In 10 years, this company is going to be a very dominant regional player,” Fisher continued. “It’s going to be widely known as a company that cares for and nurtures its employees; it’s going to be known as a company that is an incredibly fierce competitor, and I hope from the population of D.C.’s perspective, as a company that really improves people’s lives.”Although Sport&Health is located in one of the healthiest markets in the U.S., it’s extremely important for Fisher to steer the club to be one of the main reasons for the Metro Area’s healthy success. “We’ve developed relationships with physical therapists, we have five locations with one physical therapist that we’ve developed a great relationship with, so we can be involved in injury prevention. He [the physical therapist] actually trains our personal trainers, and then we can be involved in injury rehab as a portal for people who are seeing an injury therapist for an injury — we are the next step.”By giving personal trainers the knowledge about injury therapy, it’s allowed members to come to Sport&Health as opposed to going home and continuing therapy on their own. “They don’t go home to do the exercises, they actually engage with a personal trainer at our clubs,” Fisher explained. “We’ve been fairly successful at bridging that gap on injury rehab.”The next step for Sport&Health is to build the relationship with hospitals and clinics to incorporate the wellness aspect for the club. Fisher said the need for a partnership between health and fitness has been brought to the attention of the clubs and medical community in the city, but it’s up to Sport&Health to nurture those relationships and assist in bringing them to fruition. Fisher, the leader, the president, the CEO, sees the need and believes the relationship will happen and transform Sport&Health from a fitness facility, to a complete wellness center. -CS
By Tyler Montgomery

Health Club News....Bally Total Fitness opens spacious gym 46,000-square-foot health club

Amy Rosen and many other Bally Total Fitness employees eschewed sleep to work through the night on July 1 and put the finishing touches on a 46,000-square-foot health club scheduled to make its debut in Lansdowne Friday.At 5 a.m., 30 minutes before the club officially opened to the public, Rosen said a man knocked on the front door.Rosen, a spokeswoman for the company who lives in Chicago, said she greeted the man and congratulated him for being the first person to work out at the facility, which has been under construction for about 10 weeks.
The Bally Sport club in the Lansdowne Station shopping center on Washington Boulevard features several workout studios, a three-lane pool, a whirlpool, saunas, a child-care facility, more than 200 pieces of cardio equipment, a large weight lifting area and interactive equipment that tells the schedule of classes and can suggest workouts."This is the first club of its kind. This is our flagship space right here," Rosen said. "We have Bally Sport clubs that are older, but they are nothing like this.
"It's the new generation of our Bally clubs."Rosen estimated on the eve of the opening that nearly 1,000 people had already signed up."The premise of this entire club was built on understanding (consumers)," Rosen said. "The thought was, 'Let's build it around getting people to get the results they actually want to get.' "
To facilitate people getting these results, the club has a childcare center that is free with a Bally Sport Elite Sport Membership, which costs $19.99 bi-weekly.
A Bally Single Sport Membership, which grants the user access to only one club, costs $15.99 bi-weekly."We realize that a lot of parents, the reason they don't work out is that they don't find the time and don't know what to do with the kids," Rosen said.She said the center will have attendants, toys and games for the young charges while their parents take advantage of the weights, pool, cardio equipment and studios in the club.Along the perimeter of the club are areas specifically designed for martial arts,yoga andpilates, personal training and racquetball, as well as a group exercise space that measures nearly 2,000 square feet.Rosen said on June 30 that exercise classes at the gym will be running within a week.The club also has Wi-Fi access and three dozen televisions scattered around the workout areas.The club will employ about 50 full- and part-time employees and Rosen said the company will hire locally.According to the release, Bally Total Fitness has nearly 300 fitness clubs in the United States and more than 2 million members.Prior to the opening of this facility, the two closest Bally Total Fitness clubs to Arbutus were in Catonsville and Glen Burnie.Just before 9 a.m. on opening day, only a handful of people worked out as workers swung hammers and finished working on what appeared to be the aesthetic features of the club.Halethorpe resident Joseph Mildner walked out of the club at 8:30 a.m. after completing a cardio work out."It's close by to work. It's nice. I could work out and don't have to be to work until 11 o'clock," said Mildner, a member at Bally Total Fitness since 2008.

Health Club News.....Happy 4th of July!

During the American Revolution, the legal separation of the Thirteen Colonies from Great Britain occurred on July 2, 1776, when the Second Continental Congress voted to approve a resolution of independence that had been proposed in June by Richard Henry Lee of Virginia.[4][5] After voting for independence, Congress turned its attention to the Declaration of Independence, a statement explaining this decision, which had been prepared by a Committee of Five, with Thomas Jefferson as its principal author. Congress debated and revised the Declaration, finally approving it on July 4. A day earlier, John Adams had written to his wife Abigail:
The second day of July, 1776, will be the most memorable epoch in the history of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival. It ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations, from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward forever more. Adams's prediction was off by two days. From the outset, Americans celebrated independence on July 4, the date shown on the much-publicized Declaration of Independence, rather than on July 2, the date the resolution of independence was approved in a closed session of Congress.
Historians have long disputed whether Congress actually signed the Declaration of Independence on July 4, even though Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, and Benjamin Franklin all later wrote that they had signed it on that day. Most historians have concluded that the Declaration was signed nearly a month after its adoption, on August 2, 1776, and not on July 4 as is commonly believed. In a remarkable coincidence, both John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, the only signers of the Declaration of Independence later to serve as Presidents of the United States, died on the same day: July 4, 1826, which was the 50th anniversary of the Declaration. Although not a signer of the Declaration of Independence, James Monroe, the Fifth President of the United States, died on July 4, 1831. Calvin Coolidge, the Thirtieth President, was born on July 4, 1872, and thus was the only President to be born on Independence Day.

Can you believe it.... Fitness First to open mixed health club for men and women at Oasis Centre....better watch out for those men!

Health Club News......This sounds so outdated but here it is.
Fitness First Middle East's new club at the Oasis Centre for both men and women will be officially inaugurated on 27 June. The opening will mark the 19th club in the Middle East and is the first of many to come in 2011, announced the world's leading health and fitness club chain and a member of the Landmark Group.
The Oasis Centre mixed club is part of a bigger strategic expansion plan for Fitness First in the Middle East. The facility offers first-rate amenities including 1,350 sq. ft. floor area, state-of-the-art exercise machines by Technogym, as well as audio and visual entertainment throughout the club.

Top-of-the-line free weights, a group exercise studio with daily exercise classes, personal training and members' lounge with complimentary drinks and free wireless internet access are some of the other offerings that define the new mixed club. The branch will also feature a new 'freestyle area', which is the latest innovation in training. Following its roll out at the Oasis Centre mixed club, the dedicated area will be introduced across all other Fitness First clubs in the UAE.

George Flooks, Chief Operating Officer, Fitness First Middle East, said: "Fitness First was envisioned to help the community embrace a healthy and holistic lifestyle. The inauguration of the mixed club reaffirms our commitment in this direction. Through our increased presence in the region, we at Fitness First continue to extend the opportunity for individuals to get fit and stay healthy. This is just the first of many new club openings that we have in the pipeline."

The official opening of the mixed club at Oasis Centre will be marked by an array of activities, including an opportunity to win a one-year free membership to Fitness First and a host of other prizes in a grand raffle.

With more clubs opening up as part of its expansion strategy across the UAE offering state-of-the-art equipment, fully qualified personal trainers and the latest group exercise classes, Fitness First is dedicated to 'making the world a fitter place'.
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Anytime Fitness to Reopen as Sky Club Fitness 24/7

With the same location, equipment, schedule and even the same staff, the fitness club formerly known as Anytime Fitness is hoping to attract back the almost 800 members who originally signed on to the club.What attracted these members was the opportunity to exercise on state of the art equipment anytime during the day or night, hence the 24/7 schedule. What the members did not foresee was the club going bankrupt."It left a bad taste in people's mouths," said Dawn DiMasi, Anytime Fitness's Group Fitness Director who has now signed on to be the General Manager of Sky Club Fitness 24/7."The new owner is a good guy. He wants the club run right. He cleaned up the mess and is opening debt free," DiMasi added.
According to DiMasi and Sky Club Fitness Sales Manager Andre Lopez, while the new owner had tried to work out an agreement to operate as an Anytime Fitness franchise, corporate headquarters tacked on additional fees that made this option cost prohibitive.
The club will operate as an independent club. However, members will receive access to a sister Sky Club in Hoboken, NJ. This club offers a pool and rooftop deck.To lure original and new members, the Sky Club in West Caldwell will offer discount memberships in July and August. The club plans to open its doors either this Friday, July 1 or after the holiday weekend on Tuesday, July 5. DiMasi explains the equipment has been serviced and a cleaning crew swept through the club on Wednesday. A group fitness schedule will be running by Aug. 1, and the club is planning a grand opening in September. Lopez, who has worked as a personal trainer, is hoping to bring back the "family atmosphere" the original gym achieved. Both Lopez and DiMasi say Sky Club is hoping to become involved in community service and volunteer events similar to the Cycle for Survival fundraising Spin event held at Anytime Fitness in 2010. "Everyone in town loved the gym. We want the gym to be run like it was originally planned," Lopez said, but without the financial meltdown.As for former members, DiMasi said people she has spoken to are willing to come back. One former member, Julianne Maguire, who took full advantage of Anytime Fitness's off peak hours, did tell Patch she is currently happy exercising at home with a pair of fitness DVD's and her treadmill, but if the "price is right", Maguire would consider rejoining the new club.
By Ellen Coughlin, The Patch