The town of Castle Rock, Colorado, recently signed a letter of intent to enter into a public-private partnership with Weston Solutions, Inc., for the creation of Castle Rock Year-Round Snow Sports Center, a $5.5 million synthetic snow facility.
If constructed, the facility would feature a 107,000-square foot skiing surface, a bunny slope, a tubing run, a downhill mountain bike course, a lodge with restaurant and bar, and a dedicated parking center. The snow-like, synthetic material SnowFlex, tailored to suit Colorado’s climate, would cover the slopes.
Shawn Temple, Development Director of Weston Solutions, said in a statement, “This public-private partnership will serve as a sustainable economic driver for the local community while increasing the town’s tax base and providing a legacy of smart planning that will serve the needs of the community for generations to come.”
There has been some question about the viability of a synthetic snow facility in a state known for its skiing. “If the facility proposed by Weston Solutions is approved by the town, it’ll be interesting to monitor how it does in an area saturated with real snow sports activities,” said Eric Willin, COO of EZFacility, a sports facility management software developer in Woodbury, New York. “Chances are it would thrive. Year-round skiing would introduce new people to the sport and provide daily training, better preparing consumers for actual snow. And consumers wouldn’t have to drive hours outside of Denver for skiing — it would be available 30 to 45 minutes from the city center. That will be a draw.”
The town’s letter of intent allows Weston Solutions to research the feasibility of building the facility. Town council members will review the company’s proposals every six months for up to two years; if a plan for financing the project looks viable, the council will vote on it.

California Family Fitness, Orangevale, CA, acquired two new clubs this month. The company took over Alhambra Athletic Club and Riverside Athletic Club, in Sacramento, CA, renaming them California Family Fitness Midtown Club and California Family Fitness Greenhaven Club, respectively.
The club also announced the opening of a new 32,000-square-foot downtown Sacramento club, bringing its total number of clubs to 18.
“It’s exciting to see a small club growing so rapidly,” said NAME TK, TITLE TK, of EZFacility, a health club management software developer in Woodbury, New York. “Such expansion shows that there’s room for development in the industry, and that, even in a tight economy, facilities can flourish.”
Randy Karr, president of California Family Fitness, said in a statement, “California Family Fitness is excited to expand our footprint and serve a new member base in the heart of Sacramento. We are committed to providing our members with state-of-the-art equipment, popular programs, and activities in a convenient, fun, and friendly environment.”
Last year, the company’s founders, Larry Gury and Russ Kuhn, sold almost $100 million worth of their real estate portfolio, aiming to use the money from the sale to build more clubs.

MatchPoint NYC, a new luxury sports complex, recently opened on New York City’s historic Coney Island. Now, in addition to roller coasters, ferris wheels, carnival games, and fried dough, the island offers visitors and locals alike the chance to get fit at an all-ages sports facility.
The complex comprises 120,000 square feet. Its central feature is a tennis arena with nine courts, the largest indoor tennis center in Brooklyn. Established players have been recruited to lead children’s and adults’ tennis classes, including Numrud Nino Muhatasov, who coached for the Women’s Tennis Association, and Australian Open doubles champions Alyona and Katerina Bondarenko.
A swimming program featuring a junior Olympic-sized pool and headed by 1988 Olympic Bronze medalist Konstantin Petrov is anticipated to attract attention, as is the complex’s fitness center, which offers cycling, cardio classes, yoga, Pilates, gymnastics, free weights, machines, and more.
“More and more, large-scale facilities are finding homes in areas that are already established as lively centres for entertainment, places where there’s a sense of community and fun,” said Eric Willin, COO of EZFacility, a sports facility management softare developer in Woodbury, New York. “Coney Island seems like a natural spot for such a facility.”
Construction on the three-acre facility began in June of last year. Owner Dimitry Druzhinsky and health club director Jason Daniels have said that their selling point will be an innovative program design matched with impeccable customer service.

In 2013, according to figures recently released by the International Health, Racquet, and Sportsclub Association (IHRSA), Americans made more than 5 billion visits to health clubs — the first time total health club visits surpassed the 5 billion mark. Also, revenue generated by U.S. health clubs increased by 3 percent in 2013, gliding up from $21.8 billion in 2012 to $22.3 billion last year.
Health club memberships also rose in 2013. In 2012, memberships totaled 50.2 million; last year, they reached 52.9 million. The difference represents a 5 percent increase. In addition, IHRSA reported, more than 62.1 million Americans used a health club in 2013.
“Seeing the increases achieved by the health club industry in 2013 is gratifying,” says Emily Wilensky, Marketing Manager of EZFacility, a health club management software developer in Woodbury, New York. “The increases are there not only because Americans are becoming more health conscious but also because health clubs are sharpening their marketing skills, honing their services, diversifying their offerings, and making huge efforts to remain competitive. The result is a winning situation for everyone.”
In total, IHRSA said, the number of for-profit health clubs in the United States rose from 30,500 in 2012 to 32,150 in 2013.

Naperville, Illinois, a Chicago suburb ranked the second-best place to live in the United States by Money magazine and the number-one city for early retirement by Kiplinger, soon will acquire a state-of-the-art, all-season sports facility. The facility, to be called the Naperville Sports Yard, will feature two artificial-turf soccer fields, four basketball courts, a 50-meter track with six lanes, concession stands, and a day care center. Proposed for a 17.5-acre site near an office complex, the building will occupy 101,140 square feet.
Patrons will have the opportunity to purchase memberships, but the facility will offer programs for both members and nonmembers. Proposed activities will include basketball, volleyball, track, adult and youth soccer, lacrosse, seven-on-seven touch football, and a paintless paintball game.
“A facility like the one proposed for Naperville has enormous potential to satisfy the entertainment and physical activity demands of an affluent, health-conscious community,” says Eric Willin, COO of EZFacility, a sports facility management software developer in Westbury, New York. “Building such a venue in a city known for its early-retiree population is a strategic move.”
With one more hoop to jump through — final approval from the Naperville City Council — facility planners are waiting for the green light before launching construction, but once approval is obtained, construction is expected to be fast-tracked, and the grand-opening should occur by the end of the year. The corporation proposing the complex also operates Westmont Yard, a nearby 73,000-square-foot facility for indoor sports.

Teas A&M University is launching a renovation of its student recreation center in a project expected to total $54 million. The refurbished center, nicknamed “The Rec,” will increase from 300,000 square feet to 413,000 square feet. The overhaul will result in more weight-room space and a two-court gymnasium expansion. New multipurpose activity rooms will be added, with renovations also planned for the Rec’s swimming pools and related equipment and areas.
In addition to the new construction, 56,000 square feet of existing space will be overhauled and a new outdoor plaza will be added, along with a new second entrance and a lighting retrofit. Funding for the project will come from revenue bonds supported by the university’s recreational sports fee.
“A renovation like this is a major undertaking for a university,” says Tracey Keates, President of EZFacility, a Woodbury, New York–based gym management software developer. “It shows a commitment to student health and enjoyment, as well as to state-of-the-art facility operation. It will be exciting to see the final product.”
The university’s recreation center opened in 1995, and this will be the facility’s first major renovation since then. In the ensuing time, Texas A&M’s student body has increased by 25 percent.

The University of Michigan recently announced an $8 million plan to renovate Mitchell Field, its main outdoor athletics area. Consisting primarily of a general field and a softball field, the area will undergo a complete overhaul, with artificial turf replacing the existing lawn.
Mitchell Field averages 800 users an evening when intramural and club sports are in session, according to the University of Michigan. Rugby, flag football, ultimate Frisbee, and other sports all take place on the field, which was built in 1981. The university hopes the new artificial turf will increase usage flexibility, growing the field’s capacity and extending its operating hours and operating season.
The renovation is part of a $173 million plan to renovate the university’s unions, gyms, and athletic fields. Funding will come in part from an approved uptick in student fees.
“Athletic facilities at large universities, especially at a Big Ten school, serve a huge demand,” notes Eric Willin, COO of EZFacility, a sports facility management software developer in Woodbury, New York. “Overhauls of this magnitude are occasionally necessary. The end result no doubt will allow for better water drainage, minimal field closures, and a great deal more usage.”
In addition to upgrading the field, the university will erect fences and install new lighting. The existing field house will be converted to a storage center. Ultimately, the university aims to build a new 3,200-square-foot building that holds bathrooms, on-site maintenance, and operational support.

The New York-based health club David Barton Gym will take the spotlight on Friday, March 14, as the featured employer on Inside Job, a new reality television series on the TNT network. The show sets four people together in the same living space for five consecutive days, then pits them against each other as they compete for a six-figure job at a large company. One of the four is already an employee of the company; he or she secretly reports back to a high-level executive about the three actual candidates. The end of the show reveals the candidate chosen for the job.
Howard Brodsky, David Barton Gym’s CEO, told Club Industry magazine, “I felt this was an unparalleled opportunity to give viewers an inside look at what makes David Barton Gym the most unique in the country.”
“A gym is a natural choice for the setting or subject of a reality television show,” says Emily Wilensky, Marketing Manager of EZFacility, a gym management software developer in Woodbury, New York. “There’s constant motion, a natural atmosphere of intensity, and, because people at gyms generally are working hard toward personal goals, good potential for drama. From the gym’s point of view, it’s a great way to increase awareness of and interest in your brand.”
Several years ago, the Los Angeles-based Sky Sport and Spa was featured in the Bravo show Work Out. More recently, Retro Fitness had a spot on Undercover Boss. Generally, fitness and the issues surrounding it play a big role in reality TV, with shows like The Biggest Loser, Toned Up, and Fight Girls consistently ranking among some of the most popular reality TV series.
For the Inside Job episode featuring David Barton Gym, participants had to meet two challenges to prove themselves worthy of the job the gym was looking to fill, social media director. In the first challenge, they had to design a new fitness class at the gym’s West Lost Angeles branch and market and lead the class for nonmembers. In the second, they had to work with a graffiti artist to develop a mural on the Venice Beach boardwalk that communicated the David Barton brand and then turn the mural into a social media event.

February 24, 2014 – A new indoor sports center opening next month in Harrisburg, South Dakota, will feature a 60,000-square-foot field of turf, two sand volleyball courts, and a 9,000-square-foot restaurant. The facility, Perfect Practice Sports Academy, will cater to children’s team sports. Owner Gary Sperber says that the surrounding community already has expressed a great deal of interest in the center.
“On the weekends, I bet we have 200 people here, looking at where we are and the progress, and the kids are getting excited, so it’s fun to see that,” he said. He also noted that hundreds of practice sessions have been scheduled through various organizations, and the facility is gearing up to schedule tournaments.
The addition of a restaurant is likely to attract even more customers. A venture among Perfect Practice, Sperber, and Mike O’Connor, the restaurant is called Game Changer. It will be designed by Tony Kellar, who owned a popular local restaurant that recently closed, and headed up by renowned chef Josh Kellar.
“Including a restaurant in a kids-oriented sports venue makes good business sense,” says Emily Wilensky, Marketing Manager of EZFacility, a sports center management software developer in Woodbury, New York. “Kids will have access to what sounds like state-of-the-art practice and game space, and their parents will enjoy the convenience of an on-site top-quality eating joint where the whole family can relax after an intense practice or in between tournament sessions.”
The restaurant will seat almost 300 people and will include a three-season patio. The turf field will host T-ball, flag football, and soccer, and the facility also will serve baseball, softball, basketball, and volleyball teams.

February 21, 2014 – Construction for a sports-oriented hotel and 85,000-square-foot sports facility soon will break ground in Chesterfield, Missouri. Florida-based GoodSports Enterprises Global has signed a deal with local developer Dean Wolfe to build a 130-room hotel and adjacent sports center. The complex will sit on 10 acres of a $300 million, 132-acre development area.
The concept targets two types of travelers, while also serving the local community. On weekdays, the complex will cater to businesspeople, with the sports area serving local families and sports leagues. On weekends, the facility will host tournaments, with the hotel providing a venue for athletes and their coaches and families.
“Pairing a sports facility with a sports-themed hotel is a sensible approach for a new venture,” says Eric Willin, COO of EZFacility, a sports management software company in Woodbury, New York. “Given the steady rise of sports tourism, a complex that caters to corporate travelers, who will also presumably have use of the facility, and to local families and traveling leagues is bound to be profitable.”
The project, said GoodSports vice president of development, will be completed next winter. It is part of a bigger thrust to build 25 similar “villages” around the country in the next few years. The Chesterfield site is the third location, after Huber Heights, Ohio, and Greenwood, Indiana.