By JEFF POSTELWAIT
The doors have opened at Tulsa’s only Gold’s Gym, and its ownership says that not only is the facility unique for the metro area, it’s also a new design and layout for the fitness chain.
The 52,000-square-foot gym was built in the former location of a Mervyn’s department store at 6612 S. Memorial Drive, along with several other businesses.
The gym’s unique feature is its Cardio Cinema room, in which about 40 people at a time can work out on treadmills while watching movies on a large projection screen in a movie-theater inspired setting, said Joanna Barber, a spokeswoman for Dallas-based Gold’s Gym International Inc.
A grand opening is being held Saturday.
General Manager Noe Lozano said Gold’s Gym is one of the most recognized fitness brands in the country, adding that Gold’s Gym products will be available at the facility.
“What people like about Gold’s Gym is the brand,” Lozano said. “When people walk in, they know the brand.”
The gym’s location near Woodland Hills Mall has already made it popular with Tulsans, Lozano said, adding that it has sold about 1,800 memberships since the beginning of the year.
“One of the things Gold’s Gym tries to do is move into a part of town where we can make a big impact. The location itself is beautiful,” he said.
Lozano estimated that the gym could sign up as many as 5,000 members by the end of the year.
The facility itself can accommodate as many as 800 people at once, he said.
Special amenities include a women-only workout area, private locker rooms and showers, a large group aerobics studio and a separate yoga and pilates studio.
Members can purchase the services of specialized personal trainers who are nationally accredited and certified in their area of workout expertise, Lozano said. The trainers will offer about 40 classes per week.
The new facility is not Tulsa’s first Gold’s Gym, but it’s the only one still open. Another location, at 5899 S. Garnett Road, closed years ago, Barber said.
A second Tulsa-area Gold’s Gym will be developed in Broken Arrow as part of a 72,700-square-foot retail development at Kenosha Street and Aspen Avenue.
“That will be opened early next year,” Lozano said.
Gold’s Gym’s parent company is Irving, Texas-based Omni Hotels. The company owns more than 80 gyms in North America.
Features at Gold’s Gym
25 Life Fitness treadmills
25 Eliptical Trainers
25 Cybex Arc Trainers
The Cardio Cinema plays latest releases from Blockbuster in a movie setting with cardio equipment Three group class studios including a yoga studio
Lady Gold’s area, a private space for women, with cardio and weight equipment
25-meter lap pool
Jacuzzi spa & dry sauna
Core training and stretching area
Fresh smoothie bar
Full-size locker rooms for men and women
Complete line of Cypex, “Hammer Strength” and Life Fitness
Weight-training equipment as well as free weights
Jeff Postelwait 581-8387
jeff.postelwait@tulsaworld
Originally published by JEFF POSTELWAIT World Staff Writer.
(c) 2008 Tulsa World. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.
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