24 Hour Fitness is the world’s largest (by memberships) privately owned and operated fitness center chain, and 3rd in number of clubs
behind Gold’s Gym and Fitness First of the UK. It currently has 425 clubs in the U.S.A. The company’s corporate office is located in Carlsbad, California. The operations’ headquarters is in San Ramon, California in the Bay area. 24 Hour Fitness has over 19,000 employees. The founder is Mark S. Mastrov and current CEO is Carl Liebert III. 24 Hour Fitness is currently a subsidiary of the private equity firm Forstmann Little & Company, since its acquisition in a $1.6 billion leveraged buyout in 2005.
History
The company began as a one-club operation in 1983 called 24 Hour Nautilus. Mark Mastrov, Leonard Schlemm and a third partner began the firm, but eventually it was only Mastrov and Schlemm who continued its expansion.
In 1994, 24 Hour Nautilus partnered with McCown De Leeuw. Soon thereafter the Southern California-based Family Fitness Centers chain was acquired and renamed 24 Hour Fitness.
In 2004, 24 Hour Fitness became a sponsor of the 2004-2008 United States Olympic teams. The sponsorship grants memberships to some U.S. Olympic hopefuls and includes upgrades to some U.S. Olympic Training Centers across the country, including renovation of the facility in Colorado Springs, CO in 2004 to be followed by Lake Placid, NY and Chula Vista, CA.
24 Hour Fitness worked with NBC to develop a reality show, “The Biggest Loser”, which featured 12 overweight contestants competing to lose weight over several months. The show aired in late 2004, early 2005, late 2006, 2007, and 200
Club Levels
24 Hour Fitness currently has 6 levels of Clubs: Fit-Lite, Express, Active, Sport, Super-Sport, and Ultra-Sport. In addition 24 Hour Fitness has signature clubs with Andre Agassi, Lance Armstrong, Magic Johnson, and Shaquille O’Neal, as well as Jackie Chan and Yao Ming in its clubs in Asia.
Ultra-Sport
Generally over 100,000+ Square Feet Amenities include Cardio Equipment, Free Weights, Group X Room, Kid’s Club, Basketball Court, Pool, Tanning, Executive Lockers, Massage, Racquetball Club, Rock Climbing and Volleyball. There is only 1 open Ultra-Sport level club, located in Irvine, California. The Second Ultra-Sport level club is coming to New York City, New York on 31 August 2008, and the third is planned for Northern Colorado in 2009.
Super-Sport
A 24 Hour Fitness Super-Sport in San Mateo, California.Generally over 50,000+ Square Feet, Cardio Equipment, Free Weights, Group X Room, Kid’s Club, Basketball Courts, Pool, Sauna, Steam Room, Jacuzzi and Tanning.
Some Super Sport Level have racquetball courts.
Sport
Generally over 35,000+ Square Feet, Cardio Equipment, Free Weights, Group X Room, Kid’s Club, Basketball Courts, sauna, steam room, spa and Pool.
Active
Generally over 20,000+ Square Feet, Cardio Equipment, Free Weights, Group X Room, and a Kid’s Club.
Express
Contains Cardio Equipment, Limited Free Weights, and Group X Room.
Fit-Lite
Contains cardio-resistance equipment, limited weight machines and small fitness mat. Set up to be a full body circuit to be completed in 30 minutes by rotating machines every 60 seconds when a notification bell chimes.