L A Fitness International

No towel, no workout. L.A. Fitness has begun requiring members to bring a towel if they want to work out at its 75 gyms. The Newport Beach-based chain spends about $800,000 per year to replace towels taken by members, according to one official. "They pay dues, but they aren't entitled to take the towels home," said David Rodriguez, general manager at L.A. Fitness in Pasadena. The Pasadena gym orders about 300 towels per month, at about 85 cents each.

No towel, no workout. L.A. Fitness has begun requiring members to bring a towel if they want to work out at its 75 gyms. The Newport Beach-based chain spends about $800,000 per year to replace towels taken by members, according to one official. "They pay dues, but they aren't entitled to take the towels home," said David Rodriguez, general manager at L.A. Fitness in Pasadena. The Pasadena gym orders about 300 towels per month, at about 85 cents each.

Buoyed by a $100-million financial commitment, L.A. Fitness International, one of the nation's largest privately owned health club chains, will begin a major Southern California expansion, the company said. Newport Beach-based L.A. Fitness, with 1,600 employees and 36 clubs in California, Arizona and Florida, plans to build 20 new clubs in Southern California within the next two years, said Paul Norris, a partner with L.A. Fitness. Peter Seidler, managing partner of Seidler Haas Co.

Buoyed by a $100-million financial commitment, L.A. Fitness International, one of the nation's largest privately owned health club chains, will begin a major Southern California expansion, the company said. Newport Beach-based L.A. Fitness, with 1,600 employees and 36 clubs in California, Arizona and Florida, plans to build 20 new clubs in Southern California within the next two years, said Paul Norris, a partner with L.A. Fitness. Peter Seidler, managing partner of Seidler Haas Co.

The upscale Spectrum Athletic Clubs is selling its Texas locations and returning its focus to Southern California, where it plans to add to its dozen gyms. The El Segundo company said it agreed to sell its 11 San Antonio area locations to Gold's Gym International Inc. in Irving, Texas, but was still working out final details Friday. It would not disclose the sale price but said it expected to close the deal by the end of the month. Bud Rockhill, Spectrum's president, said Friday that the San Antonio market was becoming saturated and that the potential for growth there was limited.

LA Fitness, one of the largest gym chains in the country, has become an even more dominant player in the health club industry. The Irvine company last week took over 171 Bally Total Fitness locations in 16 states, including about 40 in Southern California, marking one of the biggest deals by a gym chain in recent years. The $153-million purchase, which gives LA Fitness more than 500 locations nationwide, is a smart move, experts said. LA Fitness picked up tens of thousands of members in prime markets.

Beware. The Phantom Jim Rat is snooping around Southern California, looking at the best and worst in health clubs, from parking to juice bars to group exercise classes. And Jim isn't just any rat. He's been teaching for four years at various clubs in the area and is certified through the Aerobics and Fitness Assn. of America.