Is there enough fitness pie to go around in Rochester?

With 25 to 30 places to work out in Rochester, you don’t have to go far to keep that New Year’s resolution.

But no matter how much pie you ate during the holidays, is there enough pie for to everyone from the new WorkOut World and USA Fitness Center to the Rochester Area Family Y, Northgate Health Club, Rochester Athletic Club and others from getting hungry?

Maybe, maybe not.

“I believe we have gone beyond the saturation point for Rochester,” says Greg Lappin, general manager of the Rochester Athletic Club. He has 35 years experience in the industry.

“If you add up all we have (in Rochester), we have too much facility for the demand in Rochester now.”

One factor that might soften that forecast is that that Rochester clubs have unique features that attract members with different needs.

“Having so many clubs in a small area (like Rochester) would certainly create tight competition,” says Kara Thompson of the International Health, Racquet and Sportsclub Association.

That means each club has to promote its own focus on exercise to meet the wide range of fitness needs from families to seniors to beginners to women’s only to full-service to self serve.

“We’re a different animal, to be honest,” says Bill Langlois, regional manager of the recently opened WorkOut World or W.O.W. club in the Crossroads Shopping Center.

“We already have more than 2,000 members,” he says. “The R.A.C. (Rochester Athletic Club) has sent us hundreds of members from there and Northgate has sent us dozens.”

Langlois adds that "tons" of Mayo Clinic employees are abandoning the Dan Abrams Healthy Living Center due to problems with parking.

However, “We have not seen much impact on our membership,” says Lapin of the R.A.C.

On the north side of the city, Dan Fischer says his full-service, 24-hour Northgate Health Club had its best fall in the past five years.

Bruce Anthony, who owns the two 24-hour USA Fitness Clubs in north and south Rochester, says his new business has about 350 members in the card-access centers.

Comments

[Chad]

Langlois adds that "tons" of Mayo Clinic employees are abandoning the Dan Abrams Healthy Living Center due to problems with parking.

Tons? as in people weight? maybe...but really, look at what wow has to offer vs. DAHLC.

[twosix]

are there any other facilities that have racquetball besides the RAC and Y? looking for a good place with great rates

[newarearesident]

I'm surprised at the amount of facilities in Rochester.. Toured WOW and felt like I was in a timeshare seminar.. showed you how great the place looks and then you sit down to the ever changing prices, and when you're about to leave the big guy comes in to crack jokes and change the price some more.. doubt it will last.. or maybe it will, since there's an 18 month committment? I'll stick with the Y.

[Anon]

The Y and the RAC are the only places with racquetball courts - the RAC's are nicer but the Y is cheaper. Take your pick

[2cents]

Personally, I don't believe anything a represenative from WOW has to say. Did they possibly get some business from other centers in town? I wouldn't doubt that, but I hardly think they saw "hundreds" from the RAC. The facilities don't even compare...

[rzig]

I go to wow and see alot of people I used to see working out at northgate! although they opened late you can't beat the price ( $21 a month) it was woth the wait the equipment is nice and the place is clean. And my daughter loves the climber!

[Grandma]

I agree with 2cents. I also talked to them at WOW. The price changes from one person to another. I just didn't care for the way they do business. We will see after 18 months if they are still here. I just don't like the way they bad mouth other gyms. Maybe they have gotten customres from other gyms but that's bad business to flaunt it!

[penguin]

WOW is going to open location 2 in the old Rainbow foods. I don't understand any of these Joining fees or processing fees these places charge. Total rip off. Not just WOW, but most of them.