Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Luxury Fitness Centers Pumping Up Dallas Presence

“Dallas residents may have a hard time finding an excuse not to be in shape, given a building boom for fitness centers. Dozens of centers are opening across the Dallas area, with the growth led by luxury newcomers such as Equinox and the Sports Club/LA. In addition, existing clubs, such as 24 Hour Fitness and LA Fitness, are expanding. ‘Dallas-Fort Worth should soon become the healthiest city in the country because every major fitness chain has decided to expand here,’ said Vaughn Miller, president of developer Henry S. Miller's retail division. ‘You won't be able to drive a mile without running into a health club. The fitness expansion craze reminds me a little of the video store craze of the '90s, but hopefully it will turn out with a healthier result.’ The Dallas-Fort Worth area has more than 100 commercial health clubs, almost double the number five years ago, estimated Jeff Kittleson, a senior vice president for real estate brokerage CB Richard Ellis. Texas has more than 2,000 fitness centers, ranking No. 2 after California, according to the International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association. Officials of the Los Angeles-based Sports Club Co. and New York-based Equinox Fitness Clubs think the luxury fitness market is underserved here. The two clubs, which boast celebrity members, cost hundreds of dollars to join plus monthly dues of about $130 for amenities such as a spa, dining options and child care, compared with monthly dues of less than $50 at some other clubs.”

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/bus/stories/DN-fitness_19bus.ART.State.Edition1.3c7f90f.html

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

As a native Dallas-ite, I like to go to the Gold's gyms in Dallas, they are the best.