January 2, 2014 - Plans for a new baseball and softball complex in Peoria, Illinois, have been under way for some time, but only recently was the partnership behind the complex revealed: Louisville Slugger, the 130-year-old maker of baseball and softball bats, has signed on with developers to complete the project. Featuring 10 outdoor youth fields, plus a 125,000-square foot dome for year-round play, the new $33 million facility will be called the Louisville Slugger Sports Complex. City officials expect the complex to host between 11,000 and 12,000 games annually, approximately 10,000 games more than Peoria has been hosting for a number of years at an existing facility. Projected to have a core reach of about a 300-mile radius, the…

December 20, 2013 - Mossa, the Marietta, GA-based company previously known as Body Training Systems, has partnered with Xbox to create an online fitness service that could eventually lead consumers to the gym and that will promote participating health clubs. Through the partnership, Mossa has launched Xbox Fitness, a library of workout videos from top trainers and brands, including Jillian Michaels and Tracy Anderson, as well as Beachbody’s P90X and Insanity. The videos teach home users workouts they can do at their own pace and then guide them into health clubs by offering a free pass to visit Mossa group fitness classes. “With this unique Xbox Fitness partnership and the growing popularity of our group fitness programs worldwide, we’re entering…

December 12, 2013 - Hope College, in Holland, MI, received the American Sports Builders Association (ASBA)’s Outdoor Tennis Court of the Year Award in December. The college’s Vande Poel-Heeringa Stadium Courts were selected out of 14 tennis facilities in the United States that earlier this year were recognized by ASBA for their excellence in design, construction, and renovation. Jorge Capestany, a manager of Hope College’s tennis center, said the courts, which opened in 2012, have had a noticeable impact on the college. “The state-of-the-art Vande-Poel Heeringa Stadium Courts have already made a difference in recruiting, lesson programs, and enjoyment for the Hope tennis community,” he said. Eric Willin, COO of EZFacility, a sports facility management software developer in Woodbury, NY,…

November 25, 2013 - In the American College of Sports Medicine’s (ACMS) annual list of fitness trends, high-intensity interval training (HIIT) took the top spot for fitness trends for 2014, knocking out of place educated and experienced fitness professionals, the trend that has topped the list for seven years. This is the first time that HIIT has appeared on ACMS’s list. “When a trend shoots to the top during its debut year, you’ve got to stop what you’re doing and pay attention,” says Emily Wilensky, Marketing Manager of EZFacility, a health club management software developer in Woodbury, NY. “Fitness facilities that haven’t yet incorporated HIIT programming into their offerings should use this news as a prod and start strategizing ways…

October 31, 2013 - Chuze Fitness, a California-based health club, today announced the opening of a new facility in Garden Grove, CA. An expansion of the usual Chuze model, the new location offers the company’s typical slate of classes, including yoga, barre, pilates, zumba, kickboxing, and toning, among others, in addition to personal training, indoor cycling, a lap pool, and a Jacuzzi. The facility also features massage, tanning, a childcare center, and a cardio court. With 12 locations throughout California and Arizona, Chuze operates on a graded pricing model, offering membership rates as low as $9.99 for month, up to $19.99 per month. The Garden Grove facility opens on Mondays at 4:30 a.m. and remains open twenty-four hours a day…

October 31, 2013 - Crunch Fitness recently launched Crunch Live, an online fitness portal that provides users with access to virtual workouts for a monthly fee. According to the company, the new program marks the first time a national gym brand is delivering online videos of actual class formats offered in the gym. The available videos range across types of classes, with labels that match those offered in the company’s bricks-and-mortar facilities, including Barre Assets, Rear Attitude, Gospel House Aerobics, Diesel, Yoga Body Sculpt, Fat-Burning Pilates, and Aerobics with an Attitude. Instructors are high-profile experts, such as Irini Res Eckes, a former prima ballerina; Deborah Sweets, a former Crunch member turned instructor; and Craig Smith, a well-known choreographer and dancer.…

October 28, 2013 - A study released recently by the Fitness Industry Council of Canada (FIC) shows that a proposed tax credit for adults who exercise could result in $2.5 billion in health care savings. The study counters opponents’ argument that the new credit could cost Canada up to $50 million a year in losses in tax revenue. The proposal would allow citizens to claim up to $500 on gym memberships, classes, skiing, and similar activities. On tax forms, the credit would be $75. In addition to cutting Canada’s health care costs, the credit would encourage one million more Canadians to become active, according to the FIC study. “It will be interesting to watch how our neighbors to the north…

Bethpage, NY (Oct. 10, 2013) – EZFacility, a global leader in Cloud-Based scheduling, management, membership, billing and financial solutions for health and fitness clubs and sports and recreation facilities, announced the launch of an Android version of its popular MemberMe mobile app. MemberMe promotes communication and interaction between gyms, health clubs, sports facilities and their members by providing a useful platform designed to keep customers informed and engaged. The app allows customers to view and book classes, trainings, and sessions right from their smartphones. With MemberMe’s “Push Notifications” feature, facilities can immediately update their members about any changes or news, as well as customize what type of information their members have access to from their smartphones. “MemberMe is a valued resource…

October 4, 2013 - This fall, Spike TV will start production on a new show geared toward the fitness industry. Gym Rescue, a reality television series created to help document and fix the problems of failing gyms, will feature former Ultimate Fighting Championship winner and owner of Xtreme Couture, Randy Couture. Couture will locate struggling gyms, assess their core problems, and design solutions aimed at making them successful. “Gyms [for the show] can be of any type: fighting or fitness, climbing, gymnastics or yoga,” Scott Hiller, the casting producer working with the show, told FightLine.com. The problems [can be] of any kind and combination too, such as failing marketing strategies, equipment in disrepair, staffing issues, poor management.” Emily Wilensky, Marketing…

October 1, 2013 - Auburn University, Auburn, AL, reopened this fall with a new addition to its campus: a 240,000 square-foot Recreation and Wellness Center. The new $72 million facility features a five-story rock climbing wall, a PGA golf simulator, a one-third mile indoor track, and a tiger-paw shaped hot tub — a tribute to the school’s mascot — designed to hold up to 45 people. Other amenities include a multipurpose court; group fitness studios for yoga, cycling, and other classes; equipment for outdoor recreation, such as canoes and kayaks; cardio training areas; locker rooms; a game room; six regulation-size basketball courts; racquetball courts; and a pool. “Auburn University’s new facility sounds like a state-of-the-art building that has all the…

August 29, 2013 - In-Shape Health Clubs recently opened its sixty-fifth — and largest branch — in its hometown of Stockton, CA. The new facility positions itself as the company’s flagship location, with a focus on providing services for entire families, including a “Kids Club” facility and an indoor swimming pool. Other amenities include group exercise studios, a 29-minute workout circuit, a cardio theater, exercise machines, a free-weight room, two racquetball courts, sauna and steam baths, and tanning beds. “We’re just trying to cover all the… aspects for the community,” Rob Farrens, In-Shape’s executive vice president, told online news outlet Recordnet.com. Other In-Shape clubs also have top-quality offerings, he said, but not to the caliber, extent, and size of the…

August 14, 2013 - California Ripped Fitness, a low-cost, full-service health club chain based in Lincoln, California, is opening a new location in San Jose this fall. A relative newcomer to the competitive California health club scene, the company signed a 22,000-square-foot lease and aims for an early October launch. Membership pre-sales begin this month. “We’re looking to come in pretty aggressively and are actively looking for spots in other locations,” Nicholas Trosko, director of operations at California Ripped Fitness, told the Silicon Valley Business Journal. Competitors nearby include City Sports, which is owned by LA Fitness and operates several branches in the area; 24 Hour Fitness, another company with multiple locations near San Jose; Retro Fitness; and Total Woman.…

September 12, 2013 - A new fitness facility in Fargo, North Dakota caters solely to clients age 50 and up. Welcyon Fitness After 50 offers older gym-goers an opportunity to work out without the intimidation that might attend exercising among younger patrons. Featuring low-impact equipment and a program that pairs each client with a personal trainer and a dietitian, the club aims both to help fit clients maintain healthy habits and to introduce longtime non-exercisers to new habits. “You go to some workout clubs, you almost feel like you have to be in shape to get in shape,” Bill Rodriquez, a corporate Welcyon spokesman, told the North Dakota online news portal InForum. “We have an alternative to that.” Emily Wilensky,…

August 9, 2013 - This month, the University of Oregon, in Eugene, Oregon, unveiled its new Hatfield-Dowlin Complex, a sports center that took eight years and approximately $68 million to complete. Dedicated to the university’s football team, the 145,000 square-foot center features two theater rooms, a barbershop, a cafeteria, state-of-the art locker rooms, a workspace for pro scouts, meeting spaces, instructional rooms, luxury offices, dining facilities, and numerous lounges. Visually stunning, the facility was designed with two driving principles: It had to be comfortable, and it had to sustain people working very long hours. Architects and interior designers worked together to create a space that anticipates the needs of its users and provides a sense of luxury, while also allowing…

July 31, 2013 - Kai and Charles Huang, co-inventors of the popular video game Guitar Hero, recently announced a new package of games they will launch this year as fitness accessories. The games, designed for enhancing and rewarding exercise, will track physical activity while users play on mobile devices. “The objective,” said Kai Huang, CEO of Blue Goji, the company created in 2011 to launch the workout games, “is to make [the games] so fun that you want to come back, and you want to play them, and fitness becomes a byproduct.” The games, Huang said, will be more immersive and habit-forming than other workout distractions. An article about Blue Goji in the online tech news outlet All Things, D…

July 22, 2013 - YogaFit, Los Angeles, has launched YogaFit for Warriors, a certification program that teaches instructors how to help soldiers and veterans who suffer from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and traumatic injuries. Along with a focus on specific yoga postures, breathing methods, and relaxation techniques, the 100-hour program includes information on how trauma affects the brain and body. The Veterans Administration (V.A.) announced last year that 30 percent of the Afghanistan and Iraq war veterans treated at V.A. hospitals had been diagnosed with PTSD. Previously, in 2010, a study funded by the U.S. Department of Defense and led by Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School showed that practicing yoga had relieved PTSD symptoms for many veterans.…

July 3, 2013 - A start-up sports and entertainment company has proposed building a Washington, D.C.-area athletics complex that would occupy 600,000 square feet — the size of three Wal-Mart supercenters. The company’s founders, Kendrick F. Ashton, Jr. and Craig A. Dixon, say the facility, to be called the St. James Sports and Entertainment Complex, would be the largest in the region. Ashton and Dixon grew up locally and say that, as kids, they always dreamed of having accesses to such a complex. According to their business proposal, the complex would cater to a wide range of sports, and would include six indoor tennis courts, four batting cages, two NHL-size hockey rinks, and an 80,000-square-foot multipurpose field house. “We grew…

June 20, 2013 - LA Fitness has announced plans to renovate its Tucson East facility in Tucson, Arizona, with a full-scale update and an expansion of more than 7,000 square feet. In addition, the California-based health club chain will remodel and update nine other sites in and around Phoenix and Tucson. Reconstruction of the Tucson East site will take place near the end of July. Once complete, the club will feature all new cardio equipment and other updates. At other sites, remodeling efforts are already under way, and will continue on a rolling basis throughout June and July. While specific plans vary from location to location, they include the following: refinishing hardwood floors in group fitness rooms, racquetball courts, and…

June 25, 2013 - Last week, Texas-based Gold’s Gym International acquired all but one of the 18 fitness facilities owned by Fitness First in the Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. region. According to the news outlet Club Industry, the acquisition price was in the $30 to $40 million range, and the deal will be closed by the end of this week. “We love the clubs because of the distribution in the D.C. area in relation to our current clubs,” Gold’s Gym CEO and president Jim Snow told Club Industry. “…It takes us to 50 clubs, both corporate and franchise, in that DC market, giving us a strong, clear competitive advantage, so this is a really nice acquisition from that perspective.”…

Bolsters Its Offerings With This Industry-Leader In Scheduling, Management & Point-of-Sale Software To The Rink & Family Entertainment Center Industries. Bethpage, NY (April 20, 2012) – EZFacility, Inc. (a division of Jonas Software), a global leader in software, management, billing and collections services for businesses in the Fitness, Sports & Leisure industries, is pleased to announce the purchase of certain assets of Frontline Solutions, LLC. With headquarters in Wayne, PA, Frontline Solutions is a leading provider of integrated point-of-sale, scheduling and ticketing software for the rink and family entertainment center markets. “We are very proud to welcome Frontline Solutions to our industry-leading portfolio of scheduling and management software platforms for the fitness, sports and leisure industries”, comments Adam Zeitsiff, Chief Executive…

Clients of EZFacility Can Now Offer Their Own Customized App to Members. Bethpage, NY (April 19, 2012) – EZFacility clients now have the ability to set up their own comprehensive iPhone Application (coming soon to the Android Market) with the new MemberMe App. Using MemberMe, EZFacility’s gym, health club and sports facility clients will be able to give members access to their facility and scheduling information directly from their smartphone, resulting in higher customer satisfaction and improved retention. EZFacility, a division of Jonas Software, Inc. is a global leader in cloud-based scheduling, management and membership software for health clubs, fitness facilities, and multiple other types of sports-based businesses. “We are incredibly excited to offer this valuable tool to our customers, who…

Single Sign-On Capabilities Boosts Company Value. Bethpage, NY (September 19, 2011) – EZFacility, Inc. (a division of Jonas Software), a global leader in software, billing and collections services for businesses in the Fitness, Sports & Leisure industries, is pleased to announce a partnership with Club Vitals. Club Vitals is the world’s only fitness industry specific facility and maintenance management software. “We are extremely pleased to announce our partnership with Club Vitals,” comments Paul Deraval, Chief Technology Officer of EZFacility, “now our customers will have single sign-on capabilities making it quick and easy to access the best club management and equipment management software available in the industry.” “The Club Vitals team is looking forward to this partnership with EZFacility,” comments Skye Kaiss,…

Software Integration Enables EZFacility To Offer Customers Safe, Round-The-Clock Access. Bethpage, NY (July 20, 2011) – Brivo Systems LLC, leader in Software as a Service applications for security management, today announced that EZFacility has joined the Brivo Technology Partnership program and can now offer their health, fitness, and sports facility customers 24-hour controlled security access for their club members. EZFacility, a division of Jonas Software, Inc., is a global leader in cloud-based scheduling, management and membership software, as well as billing and financial services for health and fitness clubs and numerous other fitness and sports-based businesses. “We are very excited to be a part of this partnership, as we are continuously searching for these types of collaborations to increase the value…

Market-Leader in Software and Full Service Billing to the Martial Arts Industry Bolsters EZFacility’s Position as a Leading SaaS Provider of Software, Billing & Financial Services for the Fitness, Sports & Leisure Industries. Bethpage, NY (June 30, 2011) – EZFacility, Inc. (a division of Jonas Software), a global leader in software, billing and collections services for businesses in the Fitness, Sports & Leisure industries, is pleased to announce the purchase of all the shares of Youbill, Inc. (dba Member Solutions). With headquarters in Jenkintown, PA, Member Solutions is a leading provider of SaaS-based, full-service billing, collections and finance management to the Martial Arts industry across the US and Canada. “We are extremely pleased to announce the acquisition of Member Solutions, and…

Bethpage, NY (June 22, 2010) – EZFacility, Inc. (a division of Jonas Software), a global leader in scheduling, management and membership software solutions for health and fitness clubs, leisure facilities, sports facilities, and personal training studios, is pleased to announce the purchase of all the shares of SDA Solutions. With headquarters in Leeds, UK, SDA Solutions specializes in providing web-based leisure and fitness center membership, management, CRM, booking and billing solutions for leisure centers, fitness facilities, health clubs, personal training centers and fitness studios. "We are very pleased to announce the acquisition of SDA Solutions, and happily welcome SDA’s employees and customers to the EZFacility family", comments Adam Zeitsiff, Chief Executive Officer of EZFacility. "SDA has developed one of the most…