WASHINGTON, D.C. — March 1, 2021 — The Community Gyms Coalition (CGC), a group representing more than 15,000 local gyms and fitness studios across the U.S., encouraged Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy to include significant support for gyms and fitness facilities in the American Rescue Plan Act.
“Industries hardest hit by closure and operating restrictions — those among the first to close and last to open — need specific relief. The American Rescue Plan Act provides such relief for some of the hardest-hit industries, but it does not for America’s tens of thousands of community gyms and fitness studios,” the Community Gyms Coalition wrote. “America’s community gyms and fitness studios need tailored, specific relief. The CGC urges you to include such relief in the American Rescue Plan Act or any subsequent recovery legislation.”
View the letter here and below:
Dear Speaker Pelosi, Leader Schumer, Leader McConnell, and Leader McCarthy:
For nearly a year, fitness facilities have suffered mandated closure and severe operating restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Their loss, and the loss of their communities, has been devastating, putting tens of thousands of small businesses and millions of jobs at risk. Unfortunately, the American Rescue Plan Act in its current form fails to provide the support needed to preserve these vital small businesses and jobs. The Community Gyms Coalition (CGC), representing more than 15,000 small gyms, fitness studios and fitness facilities across the country, urgently requests that you include significant support for fitness facilities in the American Rescue Plan Act.
Closed first and reopened last only under strict limitations, small gyms and fitness studios in every community across the country have sustained significant losses. In 2020, revenue across the industry dropped by more than $20 billion — 58 percent. By the end of 2020, approximately one out of five fitness facilities has closed permanently. 1.4 million jobs in the industry have already been lost. The industry comprises roughly 40,000 facilities, of which 80 percent are small businesses.
Though extended in order to prevent such catastrophic loss, federal relief programs like the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) have not provided small gyms and fitness facilities with the funds necessary to stave off failure. A recent survey of small, independent gyms and studios found that existing federal relief programs have failed to help 63 percent. Industries hardest hit by closure and operating restrictions — those among the first to close and last to open — need specific relief. The American Rescue Plan Act provides such relief for some of the hardest-hit industries, but it does not for America’s tens of thousands of community gyms and fitness studios. Legislation fashioned after the bipartisan GYMS Act (HR 890), sponsored by Rep. Mike Quigley (D-IL) and Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), would help keep America healthy and save tens of thousands of small gyms and fitness studios and the millions of jobs they support.
America’s community gyms and fitness studios need tailored, specific relief. The CGC urges you to include such relief in the American Rescue Plan Act or any subsequent recovery legislation.
Sincerely,
The Community Gyms Coalition