[carole131]

MVP Sports Clubs has purchased our Wellness Center. Interesting. Now membership rates are sure to go up. On the bright side, they will probably find a way to use the pool at the WCs former location, which The Villages has been maintaining at conserable cost all the while. I wonder where The Villages is "going"? Does anyone know the difference in square footage of useable space between the old location & the new one? That move still boggles my mind.

[Hawkwind]

http://www.mvpsportsclubs.com/florid...-athletic-club

No mention of the membership fees.

[elevatorman]

I think the price went down. The price sheet is on the counter where you sign in.

[Russ_Boston]

My guess would be down as well since the fees were pretty stiff compared to national average for a fitness center with no pool.

[texasfal]

Went today and met with the MVP membership guys. For Village residents, it's $39.00 per month for the first member and $30.00 a month for the second resident of the household. You have to pay month by month - no yearly memberships. After 8/31, the prices go way up and there is a $200 enrollment fee. Also, Banner Mercantile is moving out and going into the old Augustines space. The gym entry and snack bar, wtc will be on the first floor along with the second and third floors will be the massage rooms and the gym will remain on the third floor. GMS will stay on the second floor. We asked what they nintend to do to make the price worthwhile, the guy said all the classes will be included and will be standardized. Don't know if that good or bad. No matinee memberships, no discounts, though. Don't know if the hubby and I want to spend $840.00 a year on a gym membership.

[jannd228]

Originally Posted by texasfal

Went today and met with the MVP membership guys. For Village residents, it's $39.00 per month for the first member and $30.00 a month for the second resident of the household. You have to pay month by month - no yearly memberships. After 8/31, the prices go way up and there is a $200 enrollment fee. Also, Banner Mercantile is moving out and going into the old Augustines space. The gym entry and snack bar, wtc will be on the first floor along with the second and third floors will be the massage rooms and the gym will remain on the third floor. GMS will stay on the second floor. We asked what they nintend to do to make the price worthwhile, the guy said all the classes will be included and will be standardized. Don't know if that good or bad. No matinee memberships, no discounts, though. Don't know if the hubby and I want to spend $840.00 a year on a gym membership.

obviously someone forgot to figure this out on a corporate level

[Russ_Boston]

Originally Posted by jannd228

obviously someone forgot to figure this out on a corporate level

Since this is their 9th location - I doubt it.

But that doesn't mean it will work - $39 month is about right (maybe a tad bit high). Any more and membership will go down. There should never be an initiation fee IMO.

With SO many ways to work out in and around TV (run, walk, sports, lap pools, yoga and pilates classes, etc.) I'm surprised that any gym can get enough members.

[RichieLion]

Originally Posted by Russ_Boston

Since this is their 9th location - I doubt it.

But that doesn't mean it will work - $39 month is about right (maybe a tad bit high). Any more and membership will go down. There should never be an initiation fee IMO.

With SO many ways to work out in and around TV (run, walk, sports, lap pools, yoga and pilates classes, etc.) I'm surprised that any gym can get enough members.

Well I guess you're not and have never been a gym rat. I go for the free weights and the machines. I love to lift and can't imagine not doing it. Also the low impact cardio machines are invaluable to me as I have problem knees and love to work up a good sweat on them.

Also it's another social gathering place to meet people of a like mind as are all activities here in TV.

The price isn't bad and the price you sign up for is the price you pay forever as long as you stay current.

The ones who will pay a lot are non-residents of TV. Their rate is going up to $59 a month at the introductory price and this includes employees of TV who used to get a reduced rate of about $30 a month and will no longer.

In September rates will be $45 a month with a $75 sign up fee for residents, so get there by the end of August and sign up if you want the reduced rate. They're starting to take membership applications on Monday July 26th.

[Russ_Boston]

Originally Posted by RichieLion

Well I guess you're not and have never been a gym rat. I go for the free weights and the machines. I love to lift and can't imagine not doing it. Also the low impact cardio machines are invaluable to me as I have problem knees and love to work up a good sweat on them.

Richie - you need to re-read my post. I said I'm surprised that it gets enough members, not debating the merits of a gym. My point being that there are alternatives. More in TV than almost anywhere I can think of.

Obviously resistance training is important, especially as we age. And it is easier to do that at a gym than at home.

[homeball]

And let's not forget that there are the four regional gyms that are $100 less per year for a membership than the quoted MVP price and are resident only. For a lot of us these gyms are closer to home and get the job done for the most part. You can augment your gym workout with a three mile walk (fast) at 7 AM while it's still relatively cool out.

-Dave-

[dominick]

My guess is that MVP will keep the Wellness Center at the present location for a few years and then move everything to a "mega-gym" type place on 466 or 466A. By that time TV will have a population of 100,000 or so and the present facilities will be way too cramped to handle the demand. Baby boomer age folks, especially, will demand state of the art workout facilities before even considering a move here. The present wellness/fitness centers, while well equipped with cardio machines, offer little in the way of real resistance and strength training equipment, and most of them don't even have lockers and shower facilities.

[Midge538]

They may be better experienced and organized to deal with the infectious MRSA issues. That will be a real plus.

[aln]

Also, Banner Mercantile is moving out and going into the old Augustines space.

Actually I heard they're going into the "Put a Cork in it" space.

Until an announcement is in the "SUN" I guess it's conjecture.

[Pturner]

The price is too high for my blood, given the alternatives.

[RichieLion]

Originally Posted by dominick

My guess is that MVP will keep the Wellness Center at the present location for a few years and then move everything to a "mega-gym" type place on 466 or 466A. By that time TV will have a population of 100,000 or so and the present facilities will be way too cramped to handle the demand. Baby boomer age folks, especially, will demand state of the art workout facilities before even considering a move here. The present wellness/fitness centers, while well equipped with cardio machines, offer little in the way of real resistance and strength training equipment, and most of them don't even have lockers and shower facilities.

The Wellness Center and the Fitness Centers are 2 different operations and MVP is only the new owner of the Wellness Center in the LaReina Building. The Wellness Center does have lockers and showers and also many exercise classes, including spinning that the Fitness Centers don't.

The vast majority of the clients in the Wellness Center are seasoned citizens and the I've never seen one yet use the largest dumbells in their workouts. The many resistance machines are more than suitable to a good resistance training regimen. Many of the clients are there for rehabilitation for medical conditions and injuries and can and are trained by the knowledgeable training staff available at the Wellness Center if they so desire. There is also therapeutic massage therapy available at this facility.

Also of importance is that the gym is golf cart assessable and there is a shuttle to take the rehabilitation clients from the parking lot to the building entrance that has self-opening doors for their convenience.

I am in fairly good health, with the exception of a bum leg due to a motorcycle accident 10 years ago and am able to work out pretty vigorously at the Wellness Center and use more reps and lift somewhat less heavy weights than in my younger years and find this facility to have been very well run and maintained.

I hope it stays that way, and maybe even improves. There's always room for improvement.