Anytime Fitness Location to Offer State-of-the-Art Group Exercise Room
Anytime Fitness in Montrose, Colo. is debuting a new 600-square-foot group exercise room that will feature a new computerized class format. According to Shawn Wentz, the club’s manager, he partnered with Fitness on Request, the creator of the program, to be one of only 13 pilot clubs in the U.S. to offer this technology.
The class format allows members to take a variety of exercise classes by video, using a computerized kiosk that blends quite nicely with the gym’s existing 24-hour access privileges. “This is the second Fitness on Request system in Colorado; the first was put into our Conifer, Colo. club in March of this year,” says Guy Coffee, one of the owners of the Anytime Fitness franchise. “The response we received from members and the amount of usage of the system made the decision to put one in our Montrose location very simple.”
Equinox Releases Celebrity Playlists
Members of Equinox Fitness Clubs now have the opportunity to download exclusive playlists from iTunes via the club’s Web site. The celebrity-inspired playlists are curated in-house by Creative Director Bianca Kosoy, with a new mix added monthly, allowing members to work out to the same music that inspires some of today’s top celebrities.
The Atlantic Club in Manasquan, N.J. invites other clubs to join in its efforts to raise money and find a cure for ALS. During November and December of this year, participating clubs will allow members of their local communities to enjoy “12 Days of Fitness” for making a $20 donation to ALS. For more information, visit www.clubsforthecure.com.
Crunch Fitness announced that its sale to an investor group led by New Evolution Fitness Co. (NEFC) and Angelo, Gordon & Co. has been approved. Mark Mastrov is now the chairman of the club chain and Jim Rowley, Mastrov’s partner at NEFC, will serve as CEO and vice chairman of Crunch Fitness.
Gold’s Gym International unveiled a new global vendor program designed to bring corporate-owned facilities, franchisees and vendor partners together so all parties can become even more successful. The Gold’s Gym Global Vendor Program promises to create a sustainable market advantage that will allow all Gold’s clubs and their vendors to dramatically strengthen their respective businesses through large group purchases.
Life Time Fitness in Cary, N.C. united with the Boys & Girls Clubs in Raleigh, N.C., creating the first annual “Day for Kids One Mile Walk/Run and Live for a Life Time Celebration.” Free and open to the public, participants received a one-day membership to Life Time Fitness, access to community partners and free games and prizes for kids.
RETRO FITNESS has signed a franchise agreement to open two new locations in East Norriton, Pa. and King of Prussia, Pa. This will bring the number of Retro Fitness locations in Philadelphia to six. The company also has plans in place to open 14 additional clubs in the region over the next three years.
WORLD GYM in Taiwan recently announced the success of its “World Fitness Day” promotion, which allowed anyone living in Taiwan to work out for free and also be entered for a chance to win a Nissan Livina SUV. The two-month promotion attracted more than 15,000 people, with more than 4,000 opting to become members.
ACAC Fitness & Wellness Center Leads U.S. Clubs in Medical Facility Certification
Located in Charlottesville, Va. ACAC Fitness & Wellness Center is one of several commercial health clubs in the U.S. that are certified as medical fitness facilities by the Medical Fitness Association, an affiliate of the American Hospital Association. The certification entails a rigorous process that requires extensive documentation of a club’s health tracking, medical and emergency protocols.
IHRSA’s New Monthly Trends Survey Shows Steady to Improved Performance for July 2009
IHRSA’s new Monthly Trends Survey will gather qualitative data on club performance throughout the year, collecting information from individual club locations about membership dues/fees revenue, non-dues revenue, Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, Amortization and Rent (EBITDAR), club attendance, capital expenditures and the general business outlook for the industry. Compared to 2008, the month of July in 2009 indicated comparable or improved performance in several key areas of business, including revenue from non-dues services, membership dues/fees revenue and number of membership accounts.
Gold’s Gym Honors Eddie Dail with Visionary Award
Gold’s Gym has recognized franchisee Eddie Dail (right), awarding him with its prestigious Visionary Award during the company’s annual franchise convention. During the past 12 months, Dail has been a partner in opening more Gold’s Gym locations in the U.S. than any other franchisee. Dail and his business partners have successfully overcome harsh economic conditions to open five new clubs in Virginia and Wisconsin, bringing the total number of locations he owns and operates to 12, with plans already in place to open 10 to 15 additional gyms within the next one to two years.
24 Hour Fitness Helps ‘The Biggest Loser’ Contestants Reach Fitness Goals
With the premier of season eight of NBC’s The Biggest Loser, 24 Hour Fitness will help contestants in a variety of ways, including: Use of the club’s bodybugg® calorie management system, support from a star athlete, hosting a strength training group exercise class at a 24 Hour Fitness club and providing contestants with a state-of-the-art onsite gym.
