Anytime Fitness announced the opening of its first club in Spain, in Sant Cugat del Valles near Barcelona. The club is the first of three corporately-owned clubs that will open in Spain within the next several months. According to Anytime Fitness, the franchise will begin selling franchise territories to qualified applicants throughout Spain in early 2013.
“Spanish consumers are among the world’s most frequent exercisers, and our convenient, affordable concept is being very well received,” said John Kersh, the vice president of international development for Anytime Fitness. “We expect our upcoming franchising roll out to be equally well received by individuals looking for a new and exciting business opportunity.”
Anytime Fitness’ Spanish operation is being overseen by Rod Hill, a 20-year veteran of the European health club industry. “I am very excited indeed to be opening Anytime Fitness in Spain and feel honored to have been given this opportunity by Dave Mortensen and Chuck Runyon to be part of Anytime Fitness at a very exciting period of international development for the company,” said Hill. “I would also like to thank John Kersh for getting me involved and hope to make the business a great success in Spain. Spanish consumers will, I believe, receive Anytime Fitness very well indeed, as smaller convenient community clubs have always been part of many towns and cities. Spaniards by nature don’t travel long distances by car if at all possible and the big box club out-of-town models are fast losing popularity as people no longer want to travel or pay for services that they are not using.”
Click on an image below to flip through a gallery of the new Spain location. Photos courtesy of Anytime Fitness.
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Rachel Zabonick-Chonko is the editor-in-chief of Club Solutions Magazine. She can be reached at rachel@peakemedia.com.
