If your aquatics area isn’t attractive, inviting and up to date, you could be missing an opportunity to sign up new members, retain current clients and even help bulk up your club’s business. Failing to invest wisely in your pool and/or hot tub area could essentially turn what would otherwise be a potentially profitable part of your club into dreaded “dead space.”
The No. 1 reason health clubs seek aquatics renovation is dissatisfaction with the condition of the pool and the deck surfaces’ appearance and condition. If it is aging and looks worn out, it will feel that way to members, according to Jason Mart, owner of Indiana-based RenoSys, which builds and renovates public pools, hot tubs and aquatics areas. However, you shouldn’t wait until your club’s pool springs a leak to seek makeover services. The truth is, there are a wide range of reasons for giving your aquatics area a facelift, whether it’s adding texture to sleek surfaces for aerobics and other fitness classes, avoiding the costs of repeated re-plastering, or just making the area more attractive to members and potential outside business, adds Mart.
With more than 20 years in the pool rebuilding business, RenoSys has revamped tired, unprofitable and unsafe pools into spaces that are designed to increase usage and overall appeal. In its work with health clubs, Mart says the company has found updating aquatics areas and improving materials has been a sound investment for facilities with a family atmosphere, as well as for high-end clubs. “If you have any sort of family aspect to your company, (a pool) is almost a requirement,” Mart says. “And people paying premium dues often expect a pool and the related amenities that go with it to be a part of a premium facility.”
Any club can turn a pool into a profit area. The first step is seeing all that an aquatics area has to offer members, suggests Rebecca “Boo” Pfeiffer, president of Pfeiffer Fitness, innovator of the Poolates® underwater Pilates program and instruction. “The pool is the only piece of exercise equipment that can be used for cardio, strength and flexibility training all at once,” Pfeiffer says. “It’s really a gym within a gym.”
Properly equipped pool areas can position a health club as an answer for senior members and kids alike, says Laurel Maas, president and CEO of California-based Sprint Aquatics, which supplies clubs with flotation belts, water accessories and workout equipment for pool areas. “(Clubs) need to reach out to groups that need it the most—seniors and youth groups,” Maas advises. “Get the word out to local senior groups, youth recreation programs and anywhere else that would be beneficial, and make sure staff is trained in the proper areas.”
At Gainesville Health & Fitness Center locations, aquatics classes bring in more than 400 participants each month, according to Aqua Coordinator Wendi Malphurs. They benefit from weight-free, low-impact muscle conditioning and exercises that are also accessible to de-conditioned members and people with knee, hip and joint injuries. But more than that, GHFC’s well-equipped aquatics area—which includes a warm therapy pool, cold plunge pool and a main lap pool that is handicapped accessible—offers members a high-level, spa experience they love. “Many new members are looking for a complete package for their money,” Malphurs suggests. “The addition of a pool area can give a fitness club a relaxed, spa-type atmosphere, taking it to the next level in health clubs.”
As good as it is for members, a great pool area can also be a way to drive non-member business to your club, says Cheryl Mueller Jones, vice president of Programs and Services for Town Sports International. “Parents of children in your swim lesson program or attending a birthday party at your club are naturally exposed to the benefits of membership,” Jones adds.
In order to really turn the pool into a profit maker, Pfeiffer says clubs need to market programming not just to aging and de-conditioned members, but to everyone. Adult swimming classes, power water aerobics, triathlon coaching and underwater personal training sessions can be a big draw. Also, consider your aquatics area a solution for parents with small children, Maas suggests. “If clubs would offer swim lessons or swim time in the pool, it would allow parents time to work out and help kids learn to swim.”
With all the potential for profit a pool can bring, you may want to consider what improvements can be made to your aquatics area. Before you plan a redesign or resurfacing, take into consideration your club’s key demographic and what members want and expect, Mart advises. All decisions on cost, materials and function will spring from that, he adds.
Costs for rebuilds and renovations vary, depending on what you want done, though focusing your efforts on the deck and the top edges visible above the water line will get you the most bang for your buck. Also be sure to seek competitive bids from companies and contractors, Mart adds, it could mean huge cost savings without a sacrifice in the quality of materials used. -CS
Jump In! Get More Members in Your Club’s Pool Today!
Is your pool area constantly being used, or are there hours when it appears to be dead in the water? Here are some tips for making the most of your aquatics area:
Birthday Parties can be a fun way to attract families and get kids involved. Consider purchasing floatable, climb-on features and slides for this purpose, and you could generate profit while engaging members.
Youth Programs and Events are another way to make money during your pool’s slow times.
Swim Lessons will not only bring in outside business and new potential clients, but will position your club as a solution in the community for safety instruction and drowning prevention. Contract with instructors to offer classes off peak hours for children and adults.
Senior Classes are easier on joints and muscles, so consider programs for senior members or hold events and classes that are open to seniors in your community.
Scuba Lessons are another possibility for clubs with larger and deeper pools that are willing to partner with local instruction companies for added profit.
Special Events, such as “flick and float,” where members and their children can swim while watching a movie, will help set your club apart from the competition.
INDUSTRY RESOURCES:
RenoSys Corp.
Pfeiffer Fitness/Poolates®
Sprint Aquatics
www.sprintaquatics.com
