Genesis Health Clubs, Wichita, Kansas, has acquired two clubs in Louisville, Kentucky: Blairwood Tennis, Swim & Fitness Club and the Louisville Tennis Club, effective immediately, the company announced on Feb. 28. The acquisition price was not disclosed.
The clubs, now known as Genesis Health Clubs – Blairwood and Genesis Health Clubs – Louisville Tennis Club, moves Genesis Health Clubs into an eighth state. The company also has clubs in Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska and Oklahoma. With these purchases, it now has 63 clubs.
Chris and Jill Burckle, Scott and Donna Brinkman, and Larry and Sue Kline had owned the clubs for 25 years although the clubs were founded in the mid-1970s. The clubs have hosted national tennis tournaments and state swimming competitions.
“It’s important for us to pass these clubs along to an established company like Genesis who has a national presence and who knows swimming, knows tennis, and understands how to run a world-class health club,” Chris Burckle said in the announcement. “We couldn’t be happier to pass the torch to Genesis Health Clubs.”
Genesis Health Clubs Owner and President Rodney Steven II said that after meeting Clark Burckle, the two realized Genesis and the tennis clubs were a “perfect fit.”
“Genesis has grown and thrived by growing and investing in tennis across the country and using that base to spread fitness across the cities where we operate,” Steven said. “It always works best when the clubs have a strong legacy in the community, and these two established and iconic Louisville clubs certainly do.”
In addition to tennis, the two clubs have aquatics programming and fitness areas with group fitness and personal training.
“These are our bread and butter,” Steven said. “We hope to honor everything the members already love and bring them even more of it.”
The transition to Genesis allows all full Blairwood and Louisville Tennis Club members to continue their memberships seamlessly with no interruptions or price increases. Members immediately gained access to many other Gold-level Genesis clubs nationwide at no extra charge.
The acquisitions are the latest for Genesis Health Clubs, which has been expanding the past few years mostly through acquisitions.
In December, Genesis bought the RDV Sportsplex in Orlando from MVP Sports Clubs after having purchased in May, MVP’s Spanish Springs and Brownwood locations at The Villages, Florida. The clubs in The Villages marked the entry of Genesis into the Florida market.
In December, the company acquired Clayview Country Club in Liberty, Missouri, and in May, Genesis purchased two VASA locations in Wichita.