The Sports Club/LA is a collection of large luxury health clubs located in Los Angeles and in several large city real estate projects in the United States.
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History
Company founders Michael Talla and Nanette Pattee Francini met as teenagers on spring break in Mexico in 1969, and later founded a bikini company, Foxy Lady. They went on their own and pursued separate ventures, with Talla founding a racquetball gymnasium and Francini winning the Miss Aspen pageant and becoming a Budweiser girl.
The Sports Club Company began around the same time as that of the physical fitness consciousness era. This was around the 1980s and mostly in Southern California. Reuniting professionally, the pair opened the first of their urban country club concept, The Sports Connection in Santa Monica in 1979 with borrowed money and piece of land on lease.The concept of private trainers, pro shop, café, multiple fitness options all under one roof soon became a hit. They also introduced co-educational approach in fitness which was until then segregated by sex. The Sports Connection Club was opened in Beverly Hills, Encino, Long Beach, the South Bay and Costa Mesa.
The club became popular among Hollywood celebrities. It also inspired the 1985 motion picture "Perfect" starring John Travolta and Jamie Lee Curtis. By 1986 they had an annual turnover of $12 million with six club. In 1987 they introduced spectrum clubs and mega clubs which were 65000 sf and emulated a beach resort. The first spectrum club was opened in Manhattan beach. The original Sports Connection Clubs were eventually sold. The same year they started the Sports Club/ LA, investing $30 million. This 100000 sf club included marble lobbies, state of the art equipments, basketball court, hair salon, olympic pool and spa. It reached its membership goal of 5000 members in a short span of time including influential members from the corporate and the entertainment industry.The initial membership was $2500 and $160 a month as executive membership dues. Los Angeles times described the club as "the Acropolis of physical centers" and fitness Taj Mahal. Celebrity member of The Sports Club Company included Princess Stephanie of Monaco, Teri Garr, Linda Gray, Linda Ronstadt, Kenny Loggins, Pat Boone, George Carlin, Jack Nicholson, Jermaine Jackson, Leigh Taylor-Young, Sarah Vaughn, Hugh O'Brien, Lou Ferrigno, Jimmy Osmond, Marsha Mason, Magic Johnson, Jerry West, Marcus Allen, Tommy Lasorda and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
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Expansion
In 1994, the company went public becoming the first among sports clubs to do so. Their revenues stood at $38 million and debts at $33.4 million. The company was valued at $100 million. In 1995 they partnered with Reebok International and opened the Reebok Sports Club/ NY in Manhattan. By 2003, the company had 10 clubs nationwide with 60000 members in Los Angeles, New York, Washington DC, San Francisco, Boston and Miami. This increased their revenues and their share prices stood at $9. Michael Talla was awarded lifetime achievement award from the Governor's council by Arnold Schwarzenegger for his leadership and achievements.
In 2006, six of the Sports Club/ LA locations were purchased by Millennium Partners including Reebok Sports Club/ NY.
In 2011, Equinox Fitness purchased the remaining 4 Sports Club/ LA clubs for about $130 million.
References
External links
- sportsclubla.com - official site
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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