Gym chain 24 Hour Fitness announced that it will close 10 of its clubs in the Dallas-Fort Worth area and a total of 24 in Texas as the company repositions itself amid coronavirus health and safety restrictions that have proven difficult for the fitness industry.
24 Hour Fitness, which operates more than 430 gyms across the U.S., also laid off an undisclosed number of employees in multiple states via phone call Wednesday, according to The Wall Street Journal.
The San Ramon, Calif.-based gym chain’s decision to shutter two dozen locations across the state comes a year after installing a new CEO, who the company hoped would drive aggressive growth.
“These are painful decisions, and we do not make them lightly,” 24 Hour Fitness CEO Tony Ueber said in a statement. “We thank our dedicated, passionate team members for their contributions and impact they have had on helping to change lives every day through fitness.”
The closed gyms in D-FW are Bedford Super Sport, Frisco Sport, Carrollton Woodlake SS, Lewisville, Mockingbird, North Richland Hills Sport, Keller Super Sport, Irving, Coit and Plano Super Sport.
24 Hour Fitness said it is continuing with the planned phased reopening of its locations that remain open.
The gym chain is the latest to cut back its business and accelerate transformation under the restrictions placed on the fitness industry amid the pandemic. Dallas-based Gold’s Gym filed for bankruptcy in May and closed 32 locations, including three in the Dallas area.
Texas was one of the first states to begin reopening its economy after several weeks of lockdown measures intended to slow the spread of the coronavirus. Gyms were permitted to reopen in mid-May but could only have their facilities at 25% capacity. That restriction was further eased by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott to 50% on June 3.
Still, 50% capacity means companies are seeing just half of normal revenues under the best conditions.
Other prominent fitness chains say they won’t reduce their footprints.
Planet Fitness will not close any locations in the DFW area or nationally, said company spokesperson Becky Zirlen.
As of June 1, Planet Fitness has reopened about 800 locations across 30 states, according to a recent SEC filing. The company has more than 15.5 million members and more than 2,000 locations throughout North America and Australia.
Life Time, formerly Lifetime Fitness, will not close any of its nine Dallas-area locations or any national locations, according to company spokesperson Dan DeBaun. The fitness chain has more than 150 locations throughout North America and 1.9 million members.
