LA Fitness No Longer Reopening Georgia Gyms May 1 In Complete Reversal

National fitness chain late-Thursday emailed the decision to members after receiving 'many emails and phone calls from members and want you to know we are listening and taking what you say into consideration.'

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LA Fitness is no longer reopening its Georgia gyms on Friday, May 1, 2020.

The national fitness chain late-Thursday emailed the decision to members after receiving “many emails and phone calls from members and want you to know we are listening and taking what you say into consideration.”

“Our guidance on how we proceed throughout this pandemic is to do what is best for our members and our employees,” according to the email.

“So, although we had originally set a target date of May 1 for our first market reopening, specifically Georgia, we decided to hold off for now while we seek a greater consensus between the federal, state and local authorities on the proper path forward.”

Gyms are allowed to reopen starting Friday, April 24, as ordered by Georgia Governor Brian Kemp on Monday.

Other “non-essential businesses” asked to close in an effort to slow the spread of COVID-19 including salons and barbershops, can also reopen Friday.

President Donald J. Trump on Wednesday said he “disagrees strongly” with Kemp’s decision to reopen those businesses.

“As soon as we see a clearer indication that the time is right, we will notify you of our plans to reopen,” LA Fitness’ email to members continues.

LA Fitness is keeping its members’ accounts on a “complimentary freeze” while its clubs remain closed.

“In the meantime, we will complete our club reconfiguration, which includes spacing equipment to respect social distancing and accommodate reduced capacity of around 30% initially (see some of our work so far in the pictures below). We also continue to implement new cleaning protocols, additional disinfectant and sanitization supplies and employee training to provide you with a setting in which you can safely return to your workout routine.”


[Editor’s note: The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic is rapidly evolving as is its effect on Atlanta, and the City’s businesses and its residents. Click here for What Now Atlanta’s ongoing coverage of the crisis. For guidance and updates on the pandemic, please visit the C.D.C. website.]

Kamille D. Whittaker

Kamille D. Whittaker

Kamille D. Whittaker is an Atlanta-based journalist, editor and researcher.
Kamille D. Whittaker

Kamille D. Whittaker

Kamille D. Whittaker is an Atlanta-based journalist, editor and researcher.

29 Responses

  1. To all the Karens who made this happen, it wasn’t enough to keep your account frozen until you felt safe to come back. You had to impose your will on everyone else. You suck.

    “Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It would be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron’s cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience.” C.S. Lewis

  2. Since my membership ran out during Corona I receive no correspondence from LaFitness. I’m not happy with your decision and feel that it would be our right to decide to go to the gym or not. Not having the one outlet to keep our minds from turning to mush and no way to work out the stresses of life in this difficult time is most disappointing. If some members have the opinion that you should not reopen then they just don’t go,,, I had full intent to wear gloves/mask and properly clean equipment pre and post my involvement. How are you going to keep your members informed if because of corona their membership has run out?

  3. LA Fitness buckled under the pressure from the media. I echo the comments made above. Leave it up to the person(s) to make the choice to whether or not go. This is my vice to relieve the stress & that could not be more critical at this time. Also, if you’re going to renege on your re-opening date, the least you could do is give your audience some semblance of a plan/date to re-open. Don’t run with “we decided to hold off for now”. What the hell does that even mean? This is a terrible way to operate.

  4. Your messaging sucks! My membership is paid in full for the year and I’m not able to use it. Like others said, the gym is essential for those that care about their health–both physically and mentally. I have no fear in working out among other members and would take extra measures to keep others and myself safe. WE ARE ADULTS! Please refund the remainder of my prepaid membership fees and I’ll apply them to a new gym that is NOT politically driven and make fact-based decisions. There are several small boutique gym that are now open and I will start using them. What that means for you, I’ll no longer be your customer.
    DG

  5. RIDICULOUS..if you don’t want to go to the gym then don’t go ! You snowflakes Stop trying to force your irrational fears onto stopping my constitutional rights!

  6. Open the gyms. The people who dont want it open wont go anyway! Let the ones who are aware and able to take the risk, attend the gym at their own will. We need to open the economy back up; as well as LA Fitness

  7. I bet the people complaining about the gym opening have never even set foot in a gym. Yet, they are so concerned about people who do gym. It’s almost as if they are haters and want everyone to be fat turds like them.

  8. The fascists are here. I hope young people understand this is what happens when the “progressive liberals” and media take over…

  9. enough with the b.s already and open the damn gym. Let people go at their own will. People die everyday. Sorry not sorry, this is an outlet to relieve stress and regain mental focus. This lockdown is having a serious affect mentally on people and the gym provides that oulet. If you’re scared to go to the gym then stay the hell home. We all know well besides the “sheep” that this is Population control and you idiots keep believing the news and media/govt

  10. I agree with many of the above comments. The gym is my therapy.. My membership is paid I’m full as well and they need to accommodate for the inconvenience.

  11. I agree with comments to open. I feel comfortable with people who are already stressing being in shape, eating healthy, will most likely be the most careful citizens anyway with their health and know how to clean behind themselves. We are being treated like little children. Not appreciated.

  12. Let us have a. Voice please. All of us can not wear a mask. We need to open back up

  13. Open the gym! Like everyone else is voicing, if someone doesn’t want to go, then don’t! I personally want to have a gym to go to and return to some kind of normalcy. This is absolutely ridiculous to stay closed.

  14. Thanks to you folks who advocate opening the gym. I was beginning to think I was the only one who felt this way. People who gym treat their bodies like temples and don’t want COVID-19. Part of avoiding the disease is taking care of your body, hence the desire to go back to the gym.

  15. I’m a member who feel and think La fitness need to stay close.. Y’all are pissed because the gyms are not open. Safety first. You idiots don’t care but most of us do. Keep them close until everyone stop guessing and have more facts about the virus. Clearly you all are only thinking about how your body look and not health.

    1. LA fitness is a peace of shit for doing this! I will discontinue membership. If you live in Atlanta find your way to the Forum Athletic Club. I’ve been already and had a great time among like minded healthy folks.

    2. i am glad they stayed closed for as long as they did and they have put in place the proper measures to ensure the safety of its members and its employees…i miss the gym just as much as the others but I also am well aware that safety should be a top concern for all of us…and heck most of these folks stack weight and don’t remove it for the next person, leave their equipment sweaty and not wipe behind them so yeah, im glad they stayed closed til they can figure out how to move forward in a safe way.

    3. We’re idiots because we want to live our lives and have the choice of doing what we want? Welp, I guess I’m an idiot then Mikey.

      Care to fill us in on the facts since we’re just guessing? You do understand by just keep things closed and staying inside doesn’t mean the virus just magically disappears right?

      We have to adapt, not hide.

  16. Please open the gym back up. Working out is 1 of only 2 outlets available for stress relief in these crazy stupid times, while we sit around and watch our country and our future being snatched away from us and our children. Our fathers b4 us worked for generations, building the greatest nation in the world and then they fought to the death to defend it. In a matter of 2 months, we have sat around getting fat and watching it disappear w out even a fight. And our enemy is a virus that is so easily defeated. I read last week that frequent sex kills it. This week I saw that in Australia they are giving patients nicotine patches because they found it kills it. My ww2/Korea grandfather and my ww1 great grandfather are rolling over in their graves right now about how ungrateful, passive, weak and easily manipulated we have become. And my other grandfather was not American but joined the US marines and was gone from 1941- 1945 and in return was granted American citizenship. He said it was the greatest accomplishment of his life. Right now he would be calling us pussies in Italian. So, in closing, stop being pussies and open the damn gym back up!!!!

  17. LA fitness is a peace of shit for doing this! I will discontinue membership. If you live in Atlanta find your way to the Forum Athletic Club. I’ve been already and had a great time among like minded healthy folks.

  18. At least tell your customers what the plans are…… some gyms have already opened. I guess LA fitness wants to see how other gyms fair out before they open up.

  19. I have been a member of LA fitness for over a year now and I am shocked that have yet to open their locations despite other gyms opening. One good aspect of LA fitness staying closed is being able to experience other gyms that I wouldn’t have experienced without the effects of COVID. If anyone is desprite to work out like me, I will reccomend looking into the Anytime Fitness Lawrenceville location. The owners are extremely nice and it is clear that they take pride in keeping the gym clean. They are also open 24/7 so you can go workout anytime! Stay Healthy!

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