New Gym Opening TODAY in Las Vegas.

[JohnnyVegas]

Agree. Gold's is way better than LVAC for training!!

LVAC is too crowded and too much fluff (nice chicks to look at and distract you though  ). For all that equipment in LVAC, I had a hell of a time trying to work in on the ONE lying leg curl 

BUT Gold's Vegas is not better than our Golds in Arizona. Brad owns these too so they are virtually the same brother...

I cant argue with someone who has a dancing gopher in their avatar!

BTW, I remember going into the first Gold's in Las Vegas, on Decater back in 1988-one of the best equipped Gold's for the 80's.

I remember the only way Gold's corporate could track how well a Gold's Gym was doing back then was by the clothing sales- Las Vegas was #1 and San Diego was #2.

[onlyme]

I cant argue with someone who has a dancing gopher in their avatar!

BTW, I remember going into the first Gold's in Las Vegas, on Decater back in 1988-one of the best equipped Gold's for the 80's.

I remember the only way Gold's corporate could track how well a Gold's Gym was doing back then was by the clothing sales- Las Vegas was #1 and San Diego was #2.

Will Friedman owned the first Gold's Gym in Las Vegas.  It was on the opposite corner on Decatur and Sahara where it is now I think.  He was an old man in a wheel chair.  He also help develop their clothing line and introduced the Lead Box program.  His background was he started and owned Contempo Casuals which he sold to Federated Group $50+ million.  He was an asshole and still is.  Also, in 1990-91 the Gold's In Honolulu was the #1 in the Chain.  With about $1.4 million in Pro Shop sales out of a <400 sq ft. Pro Shop.  We also had 56,000 sq.ft. and about 10,000+ members by the end of year 2.  Oh and the guys in Honolulu made their own shirts behind the back of corporate.  They too were assholes.

[onlyme]

Gold's is easily the best place to actually train here in Vegas for now.  LVAC is absolutely just a major cash machine for Rudy Smith.  The new facility easily cost $12+ million to build.  I had two meetings today with equipment reps who were in town to make sure their equipment worked fine for the opening today.  And I have to tell you that if I had 85,000+ sq. ft. of space like the new LVAC is I would have a whole lot better setup.  I have 42,000+ sq.ft. opening and offering a whole lot more variety of equipment, services and programs.  Not sure how many cardio machines are in there place but I have seen Golds and 24 Hour and I blow them both away in number and variety of cardio machines.  I have 137 on my list right now not including what will go into the Physical Therapy room which is 1000 sq. ft.  I am happier than hell that they (LVAC) is just one off ramp away from my location.  It is going to make getting members a whole lot easier.  But I wish I owned the land and building like they do.  By the way I counted my leg machines alone, I have 27.

[Vince B]

Very confident of you, Keith, when a fancy gym like that just opened down the street from your gym site. That Athletic Club looks great from the small photos on line. If you are going to eclipse that operation you really have to know what you are doing. Must be very competitive in the gym business in most big US cities. It is getting like that in Sydney, too. Times have changed and the public are becoming more particular about what facilities and equipment then want in a gym or fitness club. How those expensive clubs make a profit is a mystery to me. Especially when rates aren't that high. That means they have to get a lot of members to pay the huge running costs. Gyms are high investment/low return enterprises if you ask me. Especially with so many clubs competing for market share.

I have talked with Keith about his new club and I think he is going to offer something different as well as having a truly fully equipped gym. 

[chainsaw]

They're making money, but you have to be joking.  LVAC, amongst the shittiest place to workout in Vegas.  Overcrowded fashion shows.  Gold's, better equipment, not run by douchebags, less crowded.  I've been to 3 LVAC's and 3 Gold's Gyms out here...no comparison.
LVAC sells more memberships than the club can accomodate.  Go there @4pm, you'll be dodging people to get to a machine. Also, they're gay about dropping weights...much like a Planet Fitness.  I've also seen people waiting just to get on a treadmill.  Worse than a fucking subway..haha
Real Gym=Gold's
Better staff/management, as well.

It is obvious that you have never been to LVAC.  It is not even like that.  You must be thinking of 24hr or ballys.

[chainsaw]

Gold's is easily the best place to actually train here in Vegas for now.  LVAC is absolutely just a major cash machine for Rudy Smith.  The new facility easily cost $12+ million to build.  I had two meetings today with equipment reps who were in town to make sure their equipment worked fine for the opening today.  And I have to tell you that if I had 85,000+ sq. ft. of space like the new LVAC is I would have a whole lot better setup.  I have 42,000+ sq.ft. opening and offering a whole lot more variety of equipment, services and programs.  Not sure how many cardio machines are in there place but I have seen Golds and 24 Hour and I blow them both away in number and variety of cardio machines.  I have 137 on my list right now not including what will go into the Physical Therapy room which is 1000 sq. ft.  I am happier than hell that they (LVAC) is just one off ramp away from my location.  It is going to make getting members a whole lot easier.  But I wish I owned the land and building like they do.  By the way I counted my leg machines alone, I have 27.

I went to that gym yesterday and it was awesome!  Fantastic up to date heavy duty equipment, with the very best machines, a whole entire kaiser compressed air fitness area, all the best freeweights.  Even the bars that you load the weights up onto are killer. 
I agree with Vince, this gym is smoking, and that is a bold statement onlyme made that he'll get more business because they opened down the street.  That is bullshit.  This gym is smoking.
The cardio machines are tip top.  I didn't count them, but they blow away the star trac BS Golds has.

[JohnnyVegas]

I love Star Trac treadmills.

Really, they are great.

[chainsaw]

I love Star Trac treadmills.

Really, they are great.

The new lifefitness are so killer, easy on the knees. 

This gym also has  a rubber track on top to run on.
for cardio, sometimes I'll do a set run a lap, do another set
run a lap.

It is worth a look at, even if you're a loyal Golds gym member.

Johnny Falcon would love this gym.

[onlyme]

The new lifefitness are so killer, easy on the knees. 

This gym also has  a rubber track on top to run on.
for cardio, sometimes I'll do a set run a lap, do another set
run a lap.

It is worth a look at, even if you're a loyal Golds gym member.

Johnny Falcon would love this gym.

What I find odd is that LVAC is so big yet they lack so much.  I would dream of owning a place that big.  I do have the chance to expand if my neighbor leaves but for a place so large you would think they would offer more.  LVAC is a "fufu" club, which a lot of people like I guess.  You can't put down the success they have had.  They are busy almost all day and night.  When we were doing due diligence we went to about 15 clubs.  I was very surprised how little busy Gold's Gym did in the hours other than 4 to 7pm.  I swear on weekends there were maybe 10 people in each of the Gold's we went to.  WHile LVAC had packed parking lots.  Morning hours ar Gold's too were very weak in attendance.  The LVAC on Eastern averages about 5,000 to 6,000 members a day.  That is a dream for any gym owner.  That can also be a headache for members.  Too many people make it difficult to train.  But having no members is bad too cause you lose the inspiration factor.  I like training at Golds because when you go in you feel like you want to train.  You go into a 24 hour and you feel nothing.  LVAC is just to busy with to much "fufu".

[Vince B]

Gym owners love a busy gym whereas bodybuilders seldom do. Maybe part of the secret of a successful gym is NOT to cater to bodybuilders? If 1000s are coming then the gym must be doing lots of things right. Most gyms would struggle to get more than 1000 members/day visiting. Gyms need to keep getting new members to keep profitable. Surely a huge gym can install more equipment to satisfy the members.

I wonder if a busy gym generates more members? Something about the energy there and the feeling the gym is safe to join and not lose one's fees. Popular clubs can be great places for socializing as well as training.

Makes you wonder if the cake can be cut up any more?

[Meltdown]

WOM Advertising is the best for Gyms Word Of Mouth is what makes the world go around.The Problem with BBs is once they start needing a few extra bucks out come the Drugs and the next thing you know is your car park looks like a Pharmacy.Gyms are Fun to own but a lot of hours work.

[JohnnyVegas]

Gym owners love a busy gym whereas bodybuilders seldom do.

You kidding me.

BBers MUST have a busy gym, because that is where energy comes from. I work out at a very busy and crowded gym-I need to. I need those other people around me to motivate me.

I had an olympic set at home right out of HS, was going to train at home. Couldn't do it. No motivation. Set just sat there-so I sold it.

That is why all the Pro's gravitated  to Gold's and World Gyms in the 70', 80's and on, to train with the best-for the motivation.

[Vince B]

Bodybuilders tend to stay on equipment much longer than other people. They want more particular equipment, too, so good gyms need a lot of equipment. In recent years the fancy clubs have been installing much better equipment while the hardcore gyms have been installing more cardio machines.

Maybe bodybuilders love an audience and others to be amazed at how big they are? They usually aren't good for business. We have a separate free weights room which suits me fine. I hate the clanging of weights and dumbbells!

That Athletic Club looks like an amazing place to train. Whoever set it up knows a lot about fitness and what the public wants. Gym owners only dream about having a super club like that. Everything is excellent including the amenities. I imagine that club is the state of the art in fitness clubs at the moment.

[knny187]

Some of my best workouts ever were in a busy weight lifting gym

but

I got tired of it & stopped in 98'-99'


I only prefer to workout now...by myself & in my own environment

[spinnis]

If you need people around you to get a good workout going you are doing something wrong.

[chainsaw]

If you need people around you to get a good workout going you are doing something wrong.

We don't need people, but it certainly helps.  I sit in an office all alone
all day, and I do need some human contact, even though I don't talk to
anyone.  I can't bash Golds, its always been good to me I've been to many of them and I'm
not a bodybuilder, I just train harder than the norm.  Some of the LVAC's arn't great,
but this one in summerlin is worth a check.

[JohnnyVegas]

If you need people around you to get a good workout going you are doing something wrong.

Then I am doing something wrong (and so is Arnold, Franco, Draper and the rest).