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Fitness centers not sweating recession

New 24-hour gym part of healthy local market

By KATIE ARCIERI, Staff Writer

Published 10/29/09

Everyone seems to be cutting back, but consumers are still willing to pay for a workout.

Paul W. Gillespie — The Capital
Jennifer Piera, of Riva, works out on a Freemotion machine. Piera is one of roughly 1,800 club members at 24-Hour Fitness.

That means there's money to be had - even in this economy.

Offering everything from early-morning spinning classes to drop-in basketball games, local fitness facilities are hoping to gain market share from the area's endorphin junkies.

The new 24 Hour Fitness gym that held its grand opening Oct. 21 at the Annapolis Towne Centre at Parole is pushing the convenience quotient: pound on the treadmill even if it's 2 a.m., work your delts at midnight.

Looking to stretch your spinal column or gain motivation from group exercise classes?

Annapolis Athletic Club in the Eastport Shopping Center is expanding with a new Pilates studio, a multipurpose room for parties and group exercise classes, and a conference facility. The project, slated for completion in January, is designed to meet the needs of current members who pay $83 a month.

Even the public sector is seeing demand for fitness.

The city's new $17 million Truxtun Park Recreation Center dedicated to former An-napolis Mayor Roger "Pip" Moyer is slated to open next month.

Locals and nonresidents will be able to work out in a more than 3,000-square-foot fitness center, shoot hoops and bump volleyballs at a three-court gymnasium or scale a rock-climbing wall. The center also will offer art and dance classes and space for community needs.

"I think people are looking to create a quality of life and healthy lifestyles," said LeeAnn Plumer, director of the city Department of Recreation and Parks. "It's about being active and well-rounded in that sense."

Plumer said the city's downtown recreation center has been "busting at the seams." The new center will offer more programs and meet a wide variety of needs.

The cost for yearly program memberships is $40 for residents and $46 for nonresidents. Fees and memberships will help pay for the operation of the center, Plumer said. The city is projecting $557,000 in revenue during the first six months of operation.

Fitness any time

Based in California, 24 Hour Fitness recognized the sustained demand when it invested roughly $4 million to build a 43,000-square-foot facility above Eastern Mountain Sports at the Parole development. It's the company's first gym in Maryland.

The gym offers a college-regulation basketball court, a two-lane swimming pool, a group exercise room, a child-care area, as well as exclusive lines of equipment designed to work more than one muscle group and take stress off joints.

"Annapolis is a great fitness market," said Carl Liebert, company chief executive officer and a Naval Academy graduate.

Liebert and Tony Wells, 24-Hour Fitness' chief marketing officer who also is an academy graduate, were players on a star basketball team at the academy in the 1980s.

Already, the Annapolis 24-Hour Fitness club has garnered 1,800 members, Liebert said.

The goal is to gain 10,000 members in the first 18 months of operation, Liebert said. He said he thinks that goal is attainable.

"People are working out, they are stressed out," said Liebert. "They are taking care of No. 1."

Rates are $64 a month and there's no year-long contract, he said.

Wells, who has sealed 24 Hour Fitness partnership deals with "The Biggest Loser" reality TV show, said 24-Hour Fitness enters markets where 80 percent of the clubs are locally operated.

"This is a great opportunity to grow the pie for everyone," he said.

So will 24 Hour Fitness mean huge competition for other area gyms?

Possibly. Annapolis Athletic Club owner Mike Myers said some members who live in the Parole area are switching over to the new gym for convenience, saying "we love you guys but they're right next door."

But Myers said he's confident members see value in his gym.

"We feel like if we continue to do the things we do and continue to improve the club, we will do just fine," Myers said.

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Re: Rec Center Prices - 2009-10-30 11:38:17

Thank you Larry, that makes much more sense.

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Stephanie P - Annapolis, MD - Karma: Excellent

Rec Center Prices - 2009-10-29 23:32:02

The new Rec center is going to be $25/month & $29 for non-residents). While there is a $40/yr program membership, "Program members are entitled to use the building for private rentals, programs or classes only."
The "program membership" does not get you access to the fitness center.

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Larry Walker - Annapolis, MD - Karma: Neutral

Gym, Evolutions - 2009-10-29 23:11:29

Wow, what a huge gym, all my friends were telling me you got to join the new gym its amazing. So I checked it out, no doubt it was nice,I met with the saleswomen and did the tour, she couldn't stop telling me how amazing it was 20,30 treadmills 20,30 of everything. So before jumping ship I told her I would think about it and let her know.

As the lone wolf I came to the conclusion that I really love my gym Evolutions, Its great they offer tons of classes which I do enjoy taking, the instructors are always great, they have everything their I could imagine, If I want to see a nutritionist I stop and see my girl Lynn, If I want to yoga I see my girl Christine, and If I want to get my butt kicked I see Frances.

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Yiannes Kacoyianni - Annapolis , Md - Karma: Neutral

Gyms - 2009-10-29 22:50:40

I'm one of the people who joined the new 24 Hour Fitness when it opened. I do like the gym, but found it interesting that they charge members in Annapolis about $25.00 per month more than they do members of the same level of club in other states (here's one in Oregon for just one example: http://bit.ly/NdVO. I couldn't find another Super Sport club that charged even close to what Annapolis does. I guess it's just because they can get away with it here. (Though they tried to tell me it's because the Annapolis club has better amenities, which just isn't true). Is the new rec center really only going to be $40 a year? That's an incredible deal.

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Stephanie Petruso - Annapolis, MD - Karma: Excellent

Gyms not sweating the recession? Wh - 2009-10-29 22:21:27

I think that this article's title may not be very accurate. Where did all these new members from 24 hour fitness come from and at who's expense? As a refugee of one of the several gyms left out of this article, it appears I was one of many who grew tired of unfulfilled promises and a severely cut back class schedule. This evidenced by all the familiar faces I now see at 24 hour fitness. 24 hour has been a breath of fresh air (literally).

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Jeff Collins - Annapolis, MD - Karma: Good