By B.C. Manion, Tampa Tribune, Fla.
Aug. 6–KEYSTONE — Construction continues on Anytime Fitness — a 24-hour gym that’s expected to open in mid- to late-September.
The 4,200-square-foot center at 17765 Gunn Highway will feature top-of-the-line equipment and a sophisticated security system, said the gym’s owner, James Magliulo.
Equipment will include elliptical cross trainers, treadmills, upright bicycles and StairMasters. There also will be full lines of free weights and strengthening equipment and tanning facilities, Magliulo said.
The center also will have certified personal trainers.
One highlight will be the center’s flat-screen televisions, which will be mounted to individual pieces of cardio equipment, Magliulo said. It also will have televisions mounted to the ceiling.
The gym will be open 24 hours but will be staffed only from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Members wanting to use the center after hours will have an electronic key card to let themselves in, Magliulo said. If someone quits, the club will deactivate his card.
The club’s security system includes surveillance cameras and a panic button inside that members can press if they feel threatened after hours. There also will be necklaces, equipped with a panic button, for members to wear when they are walking to their cars.
Magliulo wants the center to be a personal place where the members and staff know each other by first names.
The gym is being opened north of Van Dyke Road on Gunn Highway because it’s desperately needed there, Magliulo said.
“The closest place for anyone to work out there was 51/2 miles away, and with gas being $4 a gallon, I was embraced by the community,” he said.
Although the center received a warm reception by people who want to work out, it drew opposition from the Keystone Civic Association, which unsuccessfully challenged its bid for around-the-clock operations.
The facility will likely draw a handful of people to work out after hours, Magliulo said. It will have far less impact than a 24-hour convenience store because it’s only open to its private membership, he said.
An opening day hasn’t been set because construction is not done, Magliulo said. In the interim, he is offering a limited number of discounted memberships in a “preopening” sale.
Membership will be available on a month-to-month basis, and costs will range from $29 to $39 a month, with discounted rates offered for longer-term memberships.
By joining the gym, members will be able to work out for free at any of the Anytime Fitness franchise locations, Magliulo said.
Anytime Fitness’ Web site predicts there will be 1,000 locations by the end of this year. The majority of the centers are in the United States, but there are a few international locations. The Tampa Bay area has more than a dozen locations, and more than a dozen are expected to open soon.
ANYTIME FITNESS
— Under construction at 17765 Gunn Highway (near the northeast corner of Gunn Highway and Van Dyke Road)
— For information, call (813) 926-6777 or go to www .anytimefitness.com
Reporter B.C. Manion can be reached at (813) 865-1507 or [email protected].
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