Citizens Business Bank Arena, in Ontario, California, has become the first professional hockey arena in the United States to use recycled water. For the 2014-15 season of the Ontario Reign hockey team, the arena will create its ice rink out of recycled water while also using recycled water for the facility’s cooling towers. The initiative will result in an estimated savings of 5 million gallons of drinking water per year. Citizens Business Bank Arena said in a release that it has taken several steps to cut its yearly water consumption, including installing low-flow faucets and waterless urinals. The news comes at a time when California is in a drought state of emergency, with rivers and reservoirs at record-low levels. Eric…

Technogym, the Italian exercise equipment company, recently announced its appointment as the official equipment supplier at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. The upcoming games will mark Technogym’s sixth time as official supplier. The company reportedly will provide equipment for the main Olympic Village in Barra da Tijuca and will equip 15 centers and warm-up areas at competition venues. About 1,000 pieces of Technogym equipment and Technogym's mywellness cloud digital platform will be installed. Technogym also will provide 50 athletic trainers as well as gym layout, installation, and technical service. "We are very proud to have been chosen for the sixth time as the official supplier of the Olympic Games," Nerio Alessandri, president and founder of Technogym, said…

XSport Fitness, a chain of 24-hour fitness facilities based in Big Rock, Illinois, recently announced plans to expand in its three primary markets: Chicago, New York, and Washington, D.C. By the end of 2016, XSport will have opened new clubs in Melrose Park, Illinois; the Bronx, New York; and Fort Totten, a neighborhood in Washington, D.C. With a reported $176 million in 2013 revenue, XSport is well poised for expansion. In addition to the new clubs, the company also plans an $8 million renovation for its Belmont-Ashland club in the Lakeview neighborhood of Chicago. “It’s interesting to watch the growth of a club like XSport Fitness,” said Eric Willin, COO of EZFacility, a health club management software developer in Woodbury,…

While athletic facilities with outdoor fields frequently feature turf, and often turf that’s colored to display team or school spirit, it’s rare to find a baseball field with synthetic turf—especially synthetic turf that’s bright red. But the University of Northwestern Ohio, in Lima, Ohio, has become the first in the nation to sport a red baseball field. The surface will be ready for play in the 2015 fall and spring seasons. “Turf allows us to save not only on maintenance, but travel as well,” said the university’s head coach, Kory Hartman. “It can be difficult to play games this far north in early March.” With the new synthetic field, the team should be in a better position to host early-season…

A new athletic complex is coming to Ladera Ranch, California — right next door to a massive storage facility. Michael Schwartz, owner of Smart Stop Self Storage and Strategic Storage Trust, Inc., has received municipal approval to build a $32.6 million athletic center on a plot of land adjacent to his 100,000-square-foot storage facility. The complex will include a 56,000-square-foot gymnasium with eight basketball and volleyball courts. It will also expand Smart Stop’s operations, with 41,400 square feet of the new building dedicated to storage and 21,000 square feet set aside for Smart Shop’s office headquarters. Built-in features will include cameras on all courts, so that parents or sports scouts can log in remotely to watch games or practices. In…

Woodbury, NY (August 9, 2014) – EZFacility, an industry leader in sports management software, today announced an update to its EZLeagues Scheduling Wizard software. The update enhances and refines the Scheduling Wizard’s capabilities, making it even simpler than before to create a league or tournament schedule. The upgrade focuses on improving functionality and adding a fluid interface. With more clear and concise content, users will find scheduling a league to be even quicker and more precise than ever before. Within the update is a brand new feature added to the Scheduling Wizard, Auto-Save. The addition of the Auto-Save feature gives EZFacility’s clients, for the first time ever, the ability to save their scheduling progress as they work, and the option…

A three-year plan to renovate the student recreation center at the University of Colorado-Boulder is starting to bear fruit, with a new pool now on campus and new tennis courts slated to be operational at the end of July. The pool has been a focal point of the project, as it is uniquely shaped to resemble a charging buffalo, the university’s mascot. In April 2011, more than 70 percent of students at the university voted to increase student fees in support of a $63.5 million recreation center overhaul. In addition to the pool and tennis courts, the overhaul has resulted in a strength and conditioning space double its original size, a much larger group exercise and fitness studio, a new…

YogaWorks, a Los Angeles-based company that operates 29 studios in California and New York, was sold to the Boston-based private equity firm Great Hill Partners earlier this month. The yoga studio’s parent firm, Highland Capital Partners, sold the company for about $45 million, according to the Wall Street Journal. In addition to studio-based classes, YogaWorks produces online courses and videos through MyYogaWorks and has an established teacher-training progam. “The popularity of yoga is on the rise and has been for years,” says Eric Willin, COO of EZFacility, a fitness facility management software developer in Woodbury, New York. “Investing in a yoga studio is simply a good business decision, especially if the studio is an established brand with the potential to…

Weight Watchers International, Inc., the largest weight-management company in the world, recently combined its famous nutrition and diet programs with a remote fitness component. The company acquired Wello, an app that provides exercisers with online workouts and live classes. “I’m impressed with Wello’s talent, their technology, and their platform to deliver personalized services,” Dan Crow, Weight Watchers chief technology officer, said in a statement. “We look forward to combining our technology and innovation capabilities to better meet the needs of today’s consumer.” Eric Willin, COO, of EZFacility, a fitness facility management software developer, noted the growing presence of digital services in the fitness industry. “Every day, we’re seeing more and more businesses take advantage of technology to enhance exercise, increase…

In a move toward expanding its services, Pomerene Hospital in Millersburg, Ohio, is finalizing a deal to take over a local fitness center. The deal, still in the works, will give the hospital management over Kinetics Fitness for Life, which offers exercise equipment, studio classes, cardio programs, and wellness sessions to nearly 500 members. According to the newspaper The Daily Record, Pomerene’s chief financial officer, Jason Justus, said during a recent hospital board meeting that managing and running the fitness center would allow the hospital to align its services with reform in the health industry, emphasizing wellness and preventative care. “With the recent passing of the ACA [Affordable Care Act] health reform, one of the changes has been extending care…

The State of New Jersey has awarded the Philadelphia 76ers $82 million in tax credits over 10 years to build a practice facility in Camden, New Jersey. The deal has been called one of the most generous in state history. In a dollar-for-dollar exchange, the Sixers are allowed to recoup their costs, up to $82 million, for construction of a cutting-edge facility that will serve as team headquarters. Slated to occupy 120,000 square feet on Camden’s waterfront, the facility will provide practice space and equipment to the Sixers, and will include two basketball courts, a fitness training and rehabilitation space, player and coaching staff locker rooms, an audio-video review room, broadcast media facilities, a player lounge, support facilities, and office…

Towson University, in the Baltimore suburb of Towson, Maryland, recently announced a $34 million expansion of its recreation center. The expansion will add 90,000 square feet to the center, known as Burdick Hall. It will include two multipurpose athletic courts, group exercise studios, and a three-lane indoor running track. The courts will be used for indoor soccer and lacrosse, and the studios will serve cycling classes, martial arts, and personal training. As it exists now, Burdick Hall contains a swimming pool, basketball courts, and a 33-foot indoor climbing wall. “It’s always gratifying to see a university commit to improving its athletic facilities,” said Eric Willin, COO of EZFacility, a sports facility management software developer in Woodbury, New York. “Doing so…

The town of Castle Rock, Colorado, recently signed a letter of intent to enter into a public-private partnership with Weston Solutions, Inc., for the creation of Castle Rock Year-Round Snow Sports Center, a $5.5 million synthetic snow facility. If constructed, the facility would feature a 107,000-square foot skiing surface, a bunny slope, a tubing run, a downhill mountain bike course, a lodge with restaurant and bar, and a dedicated parking center. The snow-like, synthetic material SnowFlex, tailored to suit Colorado’s climate, would cover the slopes. Shawn Temple, Development Director of Weston Solutions, said in a statement, “This public-private partnership will serve as a sustainable economic driver for the local community while increasing the town’s tax base and providing a legacy…

California Family Fitness, Orangevale, CA, acquired two new clubs this month. The company took over Alhambra Athletic Club and Riverside Athletic Club, in Sacramento, CA, renaming them California Family Fitness Midtown Club and California Family Fitness Greenhaven Club, respectively. The club also announced the opening of a new 32,000-square-foot downtown Sacramento club, bringing its total number of clubs to 18. “It’s exciting to see a small club growing so rapidly,” said NAME TK, TITLE TK, of EZFacility, a health club management software developer in Woodbury, New York. “Such expansion shows that there’s room for development in the industry, and that, even in a tight economy, facilities can flourish.” Randy Karr, president of California Family Fitness, said in a statement, “California…

MatchPoint NYC, a new luxury sports complex, recently opened on New York City’s historic Coney Island. Now, in addition to roller coasters, ferris wheels, carnival games, and fried dough, the island offers visitors and locals alike the chance to get fit at an all-ages sports facility. The complex comprises 120,000 square feet. Its central feature is a tennis arena with nine courts, the largest indoor tennis center in Brooklyn. Established players have been recruited to lead children’s and adults’ tennis classes, including Numrud Nino Muhatasov, who coached for the Women’s Tennis Association, and Australian Open doubles champions Alyona and Katerina Bondarenko. A swimming program featuring a junior Olympic-sized pool and headed by 1988 Olympic Bronze medalist Konstantin Petrov is anticipated…

In 2013, according to figures recently released by the International Health, Racquet, and Sportsclub Association (IHRSA), Americans made more than 5 billion visits to health clubs — the first time total health club visits surpassed the 5 billion mark. Also, revenue generated by U.S. health clubs increased by 3 percent in 2013, gliding up from $21.8 billion in 2012 to $22.3 billion last year. Health club memberships also rose in 2013. In 2012, memberships totaled 50.2 million; last year, they reached 52.9 million. The difference represents a 5 percent increase. In addition, IHRSA reported, more than 62.1 million Americans used a health club in 2013. “Seeing the increases achieved by the health club industry in 2013 is gratifying,” says Emily…

Naperville, Illinois, a Chicago suburb ranked the second-best place to live in the United States by Money magazine and the number-one city for early retirement by Kiplinger, soon will acquire a state-of-the-art, all-season sports facility. The facility, to be called the Naperville Sports Yard, will feature two artificial-turf soccer fields, four basketball courts, a 50-meter track with six lanes, concession stands, and a day care center. Proposed for a 17.5-acre site near an office complex, the building will occupy 101,140 square feet. Patrons will have the opportunity to purchase memberships, but the facility will offer programs for both members and nonmembers. Proposed activities will include basketball, volleyball, track, adult and youth soccer, lacrosse, seven-on-seven touch football, and a paintless paintball…

Teas A&M University is launching a renovation of its student recreation center in a project expected to total $54 million. The refurbished center, nicknamed “The Rec,” will increase from 300,000 square feet to 413,000 square feet. The overhaul will result in more weight-room space and a two-court gymnasium expansion. New multipurpose activity rooms will be added, with renovations also planned for the Rec’s swimming pools and related equipment and areas. In addition to the new construction, 56,000 square feet of existing space will be overhauled and a new outdoor plaza will be added, along with a new second entrance and a lighting retrofit. Funding for the project will come from revenue bonds supported by the university’s recreational sports fee. “A…

The University of Michigan recently announced an $8 million plan to renovate Mitchell Field, its main outdoor athletics area. Consisting primarily of a general field and a softball field, the area will undergo a complete overhaul, with artificial turf replacing the existing lawn. Mitchell Field averages 800 users an evening when intramural and club sports are in session, according to the University of Michigan. Rugby, flag football, ultimate Frisbee, and other sports all take place on the field, which was built in 1981. The university hopes the new artificial turf will increase usage flexibility, growing the field’s capacity and extending its operating hours and operating season. The renovation is part of a $173 million plan to renovate the university’s unions,…

The New York-based health club David Barton Gym will take the spotlight on Friday, March 14, as the featured employer on Inside Job, a new reality television series on the TNT network. The show sets four people together in the same living space for five consecutive days, then pits them against each other as they compete for a six-figure job at a large company. One of the four is already an employee of the company; he or she secretly reports back to a high-level executive about the three actual candidates. The end of the show reveals the candidate chosen for the job. Howard Brodsky, David Barton Gym’s CEO, told Club Industry magazine, “I felt this was an unparalleled opportunity to…

February 24, 2014 - A new indoor sports center opening next month in Harrisburg, South Dakota, will feature a 60,000-square-foot field of turf, two sand volleyball courts, and a 9,000-square-foot restaurant. The facility, Perfect Practice Sports Academy, will cater to children’s team sports. Owner Gary Sperber says that the surrounding community already has expressed a great deal of interest in the center. “On the weekends, I bet we have 200 people here, looking at where we are and the progress, and the kids are getting excited, so it’s fun to see that,” he said. He also noted that hundreds of practice sessions have been scheduled through various organizations, and the facility is gearing up to schedule tournaments. The addition of…

February 21, 2014 - Construction for a sports-oriented hotel and 85,000-square-foot sports facility soon will break ground in Chesterfield, Missouri. Florida-based GoodSports Enterprises Global has signed a deal with local developer Dean Wolfe to build a 130-room hotel and adjacent sports center. The complex will sit on 10 acres of a $300 million, 132-acre development area. The concept targets two types of travelers, while also serving the local community. On weekdays, the complex will cater to businesspeople, with the sports area serving local families and sports leagues. On weekends, the facility will host tournaments, with the hotel providing a venue for athletes and their coaches and families. “Pairing a sports facility with a sports-themed hotel is a sensible approach for…

January 24, 2014 - The Breakers, one of the top-ranked hotels in Palm Beach, Florida, has received the local zoning commission’s approval to build a new fitness center. Construction depends on the Town Council, which has the final say; if the plan goes forward, the new center will triple the size of the hotel’s current exercise area. Construction would begin around June 1 and take three to four months to complete. The hotel’s proposal calls for a 4,190-square-foot fitness center on what is now a rooftop terrace. The center will feature an ocean view and will presumably include a wider range of exercise equipment and machinery than is currently available. The present facility occupies a 1,400-square-foot space on the ground…

January 24, 2014 - Fitness First, the UK-based gym chain with branches throughout Europe and Asia, announced a £225 million brand overhaul. With more than twenty years of business under its belt, the chain is looking to upgrade its look, clubs, and customer service. The first phase of rebranding has begun, with a £1.5 million marketing campaign designed to communicate the new corporate identity to customers. Advertisements in the new campaign position the club as “rewriting the rules of fitness.” For example, part of the overhaul includes a shift in “fitness philosophy,” with the gym pushing a freestyle fitness regime based on natural movement. An ad titled “Rule #3” features the slogan “Focus on Movement, Not on Machines.” Other ads…

January 6, 2014 - Fitness industry veterans Jill Kinney and Bill McBride opened a new club at the start of 2014, rebranding the former Club One Petaluma (CA) as Active Sports Clubs. The facility will be managed by Clubsource Development Partners LLC, founded by Kinney in 2006; she serves as the company’s chairperson, and McBride is its president and CEO. “I made the decision to launch this new company and brand because I felt it was the next step towards delivering my vision,” Kinney told the online magazine Club Industry. Her company, Clubsource, is a development business that specializes in private community centers that provide a for-profit, contemporary alternative to financially strapped neighborhoods. “I truly see our role as one…