Coalition: “Many local gyms have been teetering on the brink of failure, and this new round of shutdowns may be the push that sends them over the edge, unless Congress acts quickly”
WASHINGTON, D.C. — November 17, 2020 — The Community Gyms Coalition (CGC), a group representing more than 15,000 community gyms in the U.S. urging Congress to provide direct support for the fitness industry, released the following statement today as several states have implemented new COVID-19 restrictions and closures on gyms. Leaders in the fitness industry rallying behind the relief effort include CrossFit, Mindbody, Orangetheory Fitness, Planet Fitness, Self Esteem Brands, Xponential Fitness, and Zumba Fitness.
“Many local gyms have been teetering on the brink of failure, and this new round of shutdowns may be the push that sends them over the edge, unless Congress acts quickly,” said Jordan Holland, owner of Riot Athletics CrossFit in Seattle, Washington and a spokesperson for the Community Gyms Coalition. “The shutdowns have focused on specific local businesses, including gyms and restaurants, and Congress should structure direct relief to those same businesses to help them survive. Even before this round of shutdowns, one in four gyms was projected to go bankrupt, but without government support, that number now could be far higher. We urge Congress to offer direct support to help community gyms survive this new round of shutdowns, so they can continue to keep tens of millions of Americans healthy.”
Over the past week, government officials have taken actions that will have a negative impact on the fitness industry financially. In Washington State, the governor has ordered all indoor fitness facilities to close; in Oregon, gyms and fitness organizations statewide will temporarily close under the governor’s “freeze” orders; in California, gyms are closed in almost every county; in New York, the governor is requiring gyms to close at 10pm; and in Michigan, all indoor fitness classes are prohibited.
According to data released by Yelp, the nation’s gyms and fitness facilities currently face higher closure rates than nearly any other industry, including restaurants and bars. As of August 31, Yelp data showed 6,024 closed fitness facilities, including 57 percent temporary closures and 43 percent permanent closures.
Learn more about the Community Gyms Coalition here: https://gymscoalition.org/
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