If this Virginia entrepreneur has her way, health-conscious gamblers won't have to sacrifice their weekend exercise routines at L.A. health clubs for excursions to Las Vegas. Kathy Harris, president of Fitness Gaming Corp., hopes to take the country's gaming establishments by storm with two machines that combine the giant industries of fitness and gambling.
The Pedal 'N Play bicycle and Money Mill treadmill are equipped with slot machines. But neither the exercise nor gambling portions of the machines work unless both elements are being used.
The 1-year-old corporation has sold 10 machines to a few curious customers, including Carnival Cruise Lines. Harris is also marketing them to hotels and other gambling facilities from Atlantic City to Las Vegas.
"We have a lot of irons in the fire," says Harris, who worked in property management before starting Fitness Gaming. "This is more a 21st century concept."