November 1, 2007

First Word

Are You Green Enough?

Nov 15, 2007 11:50 AM, By Pamela Kufahl, editor

Sustainability is the new buzzword now. Even in the fitness business, more people are talking about it. Perhaps that’s because it’s becoming easier to be green...

Fitness Business News

MRSA Cases Prompt Action By University Rec Centers

Nov 1, 2007 12:00 PM, By Stuart Goldman

Nationwide Student recreation centers across the country are taking precautions to help stop the spread of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus...

New Army Training Center Helps Disabled Vets Get Moving Again

Nov 1, 2007 12:00 PM, By Jennipher Shaver

Washington, Dc To help enhance amputee and patient care of disabled and injured veterans, Walter Reed Army Medical Center (WRAMC) recently opened the...

California Fires Affect Clubs

Nov 1, 2007 12:00 PM, By Pamela Kufahl

San Diego, Ca The fires that raged in several Southern California counties last month caused closures of some clubs, mostly due to poor air quality or...

Activity Fee Increases at Iowa

Nov 1, 2007 12:00 PM, By Stuart Goldman

Iowa City, Ia Construction of a new $69.2 million campus recreation and wellness center began last month at the University of Iowa. Funds for the new...

TSI Has Profitable Third Quarter

Nov 1, 2007 12:00 PM, By Pamela Kufahl

New York Town Sports International (TSI), New York, reported that third quarter 2007 revenue grew 8.7 percent to $118.9 million from $109.4 million in...

More Than Half of Georgia Children Are Out of Shape

Nov 1, 2007 12:00 PM, By Stuart Goldman

Atlanta A survey of 5,000 fifth- and seventh-graders in the state of Georgia revealed that more than half of them failed to pass a fitness test, according...

Six People Indicted in Connection With Credit Card Theft Ring

Nov 1, 2007 12:00 PM, By Stuart Goldman

Boston Another story involving locker room theft has hit the health club world, and this one affects members in numerous states. Last month, six people...

Express It

Nov 1, 2007 12:00 PM

I can already hear the calls that I'll be getting after this issue hits the mail this month. I'm sure I'll receive more than one call or e-mail from an...

Navy Commands Drop Combined 612 Pounds During Challenge

Nov 1, 2007 12:00 PM, By Jennipher Shaver

Norfolk, Va More than 150 sailors and Department of Navy employees participated in a joint weight-loss challenge from Aug. 10 to Oct. 10 between Navy...

Club Veteran Jim Booker Dies

Nov 1, 2007 12:00 PM, By Kelsey Garrison

Alpharetta, Ga Jim Booker, founder of American Fitness Centers, died of pancreatic cancer at his Alpharetta, GA, home on Oct. 6. He was 76. Booker opened...

Largest Franchisee for Gold's Gym Moves On

Nov 1, 2007 12:00 PM, By Pamela Kufahl

Lexington, Ky Now that Royce Pulliam, formerly the largest Gold's Gym International franchisee, has left the Gold's brand behind to create his own brand,...

Y Campaign Nets 8 Billion Steps

Nov 1, 2007 12:00 PM, By Jennipher Shaver

Washington, Dc More than 1,500 YMCAs participated in the YMCA of the USA's America on the Move Week with the YMCA in September. Ys across the country...

The Rush to Expand to Lucky 13

Nov 1, 2007 12:00 PM, By Pamela Kufahl

Greensboro, Nc The Rush Fitness Complex, a Tennessee-based health club company, has chosen North Carolina for its first expansion outside the Volunteer...

Army Wellness and Education Program to Expand

Nov 1, 2007 12:00 PM, By Jennipher Shaver

Carlisle Barracks, Pa The Army Wellness and Education Program is set to expand, according to Army officials. The expansion will better prepare individual...

Alaska Club Sold to Equity Firm

Nov 1, 2007 12:00 PM, By Stuart Goldman

New York Lincolnshire Management Inc., a New York-based private equity firm, has purchased The Alaska Club's 17 fitness centers in Alaska. Andrew Eker,...

Life Time Fitness Revenue Up Almost 26 Percent

Nov 1, 2007 12:00 PM, By Pamela Kufahl

Eden Prairie, Mn Third quarter 2007 revenue for Life Time Fitness Inc., Eden Prairie, MN, grew 25.8 percent to $169.5 million from $134.7 million during...

In BRIEF

Nov 1, 2007 12:00 PM

Nifty After Fifty, a year-old fitness and wellness company that caters to seniors, has been given the go-ahead by the California Department of Corporations...

Corrections

Nov 1, 2007 12:00 PM

The October 2007 article Longfellow Clubs Going Green mistakenly reported that Longfellow Clubs will get a large amount of its electricity, heat, domestic...

33

Nov 1, 2007 12:00 PM

The percentage of Americans who list weight as one of their top health concerns. Source: 2007 International Food Information Council Consumer Attitudes...

Inside Manufacturers

Strive, Steelers Team Up

Nov 1, 2007 12:00 PM

The Pittsburgh Steelers and the United Way of Allegheny County teamed with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Western Pennsylvania and Strive to create the Steelers...

Companies Partner To Meet HD Demands

Nov 1, 2007 12:00 PM

Bv Entertainment and SuperPlasma have teamed up to meet the growing demand to upgrade fitness facilities' TVs to the new HD digital broadcasting format....

Mad Dogg Wins Suit

Nov 1, 2007 12:00 PM

Mad Dogg Athletics (MDA) won a cyber-piracy lawsuit against NYC Holding for trying to use SPNERGY as its trademark, according to a statement by MDA. MDA...

Nautilus Shareholders To Meet in December

Nov 1, 2007 12:00 PM, By Pamela Kufahl

Vancouver, Wa As Robert S. Falcone moved into the role of president and CEO of Nautilus Inc., last month, the company faced more troubles, particularly...

Matrix Sales Rise

Nov 1, 2007 12:00 PM

Matrix Fitness Systems' U.S. third-quarter sales increased by 98 percent over the corresponding 2006 period, the company announced. Over the same time...

Bidding for Customers

Nov 1, 2007 12:00 PM

The online bidding that consumers have become accustomed to in the travel industry is now moving into the fitness industry with the launch last month...

Power Plate Partners With Lady of America

Nov 1, 2007 12:00 PM

Lady of America announced it will partner with Power Plate North America to integrate Power Plate pro5 Acceleration Training machines into its clubs....

Octane Fitness Honored

Nov 1, 2007 12:00 PM

Specialty News named Octane Fitness the best supplier in the club industry for 2007. Octane Fitness also had the top-selling elliptical for the third...

Cybex Reports Growing Revenue in Third Quarter

Nov 1, 2007 12:00 PM, By Pamela Kufahl

Medway, Ma Third quarter 2007 net sales for Cybex International increased by 9 percent to $32.6 million, the company announced last month. The figures...

Features

Talk of the Town

Nov 1, 2007 12:00 PM, By Jennipher Shaver, senior associate editor

Chicago is the place to be in October in the fitness industry. That's because each October, Chicago is the home of the Club Industry national show. Last...

Club Industry 2007 Photos

Nov 14, 2007 3:36 PM

Attendees had three days to visit with the 210 exhibitors at the show. ...

Focus on Clubs

Will Super Clubs Dominate The Fitness Industry?

Nov 1, 2007 12:00 PM, By Bruce Carter

Many people in the fitness industry are scratching their heads. How can someone build a 100,000-square-foot-club that costs more than $10 million in a...

Focus on Seniors

Use Exercise Techniques for Senior Market Niches

Nov 14, 2007 12:44 PM

Our industry has an opportunity and responsibility to create and implement programs for people of all ages....

Focus on Technology

Technology May Save Your Members' Lives

Nov 1, 2007 12:00 PM, By Gregory Florez

Recently, I had a revelation that technology may save your members' lives. In fact, technology, not exercise, will determine whether or not we are successful...

Trend Watch

A Lure for Loyalty

Nov 1, 2007 12:00 PM, By Amy Florence Fischbach, contributing writer

Once upon a time, club owners may have focused only on signing new members, keeping retention low on their list of priorities. Those days are gone, however....

Changing Rooms

Nov 1, 2007 12:00 PM, By Jennipher Shaver, senior associate editor

Locker rooms used to be an afterthought for most clubs. Focused on the best and most advanced equipment and programming, many club operators of the past...

Pro Shop

Nov 1, 2007 12:00 PM

Nutrition The organic energy drink essn gives customers energy through a combination of pomegranate and limeflower ingredients. The drink contains no...

One Last Thought

Get Physical, But Not With Others

Nov 1, 2007 12:00 PM, Jennipher Shaver

One last thought about the meat market. No, I'm not talking about your local deli counter or butcher shop. I'm talking about health clubs and the testosterone...