Life Time Fitness will be largest health club in Tulsa beginning Saturday
BY KYLE ARNOLD World Staff Writer
Thursday, April 12, 2012
4/12/12 at 8:17 AM
Life Time Fitness Inc. plans to open Tulsa's largest health club Saturday, a $19.5 million facility that will try to lure customers away from the area's other centers.
The national chain's 114,000-square-foot, newly built facility has indoor and outdoor pools, two full-size basketball courts, more than 400 pieces of exercise equipment, four studio rooms and custom rooms for yoga, cycling and Pilates classes.
"We get a big mix of people at our facilities," said Karen Jayne Leinberger, public relations manager for the Chanhassen, Minn.-based company. "We have a lot of young people but a lot of families, too. We get really busy from 10 to noon when moms come in, and then busy at night, too."
The new center is at 10642 S. Memorial Drive, across the street from the Spirit Event Center in a rapidly growing area straddling the municipal line between Tulsa and Bixby and filled with newer, upscale homes.
The opulent workout facility features an expansive play area for children that includes its own mini basketball court and outdoor area.
The outdoor pool area has two twisting water slides, an 11,000-square-foot pool and a poolside bistro that serves healthy meal options to members while they enjoy the sun and water.
Life Time Fitness Inc., similar to other health club chains, does not publicly disclose membership prices. It operates 96 centers in about 20 states.
The new center has two more pool areas inside, a large zero-entry pool and a five-lane lap swimming pool. There are also two whirlpool spas.
The facility, with its locker rooms featuring private showers and its expansive number of treadmill, elliptical and exercise bike equipment, is designed so members will never have to wait to work out.
A large rock wall occupies the building's first floor next to the basketball courts. The wall will have guided sessions as well as open time for climbers.
Leinberger said there will be at least 70 to 100 fitness classes offered each week. The largest studio can accommodate nearly 100 people, and the yoga room is customized to allow trendy classes such as "hot yoga," a variation of the stretching and meditation exercise conducted in hot, humid conditions.
Near the building's entrance the company has built a full-service cafe area that will be open for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Leinberger said Life Time Fitness will have about 300 employees when it is fully staffed.
Many of those employees will be from the 23 fitness companies that Life Time brings in, including personal trainers, nutritionists and private instructors.
Life Time Fitness
10642 S. Memorial Drive
Opening: Saturday
Cost: $19.5 million
Size: 114,000 square feet
Employees: 300
Amenities:
Four pools - two indoor and two outdoor, two outdoor water slides, two full-size basketball courts, 400 pieces of cardio equipment, cafe, children's play and recreation area, sauna and steam rooms in each locker room, private family locker rooms
Original Print Headline: Fitness gets big
Kyle Arnold 918-581-8380
kyle.arnold@tulsaworld.com
Associated Images:
Edwardo Williams, a contractor with Mass Movement, works at Life Time Fitness on Wednesday. MIKE SIMONS / Tulsa World
Tierra Anderson works at Life Café at Life Time Fitness on Wednesday. MIKE SIMONS/Tulsa World
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