24 Hour Fitness, San Ramon, California, is entering the Chicago market in 2020 with club openings scheduled in the suburbs of Carol Stream, Schaumburg, Algonquin and Oak Lawn. The company plans to open additional clubs near Chicago in 2021 and beyond, according to a Jan. 27 media release.
“Over the next several years we will be rolling out a robust growth plan that will encompass the greater Chicago area to position us as a dominant player in the Chicago fitness market," 24 Hour Fitness COO Karl Sanft said in the release. "Our goal is to open several clubs each year, which will bring hundreds of new jobs to the area and help thousands of residents stay fit."
The first club in Carol Stream, which is approximately 30 miles west of downtown Chicago, is slated to open during the first quarter, while the second club in Schaumburg, which is 30 miles northwest of downtown, will open during the second quarter. The Oak Lawn and Algonquin clubs will open at to-be-determined dates later in the year. Each club will be nearly 40,000 square feet and offer multiple group exercise studios, an indoor lap pool, basketball court and locker rooms with private showers.
A grand opening for the Carol Stream club will be held on March 7. New members are eligible to receive free fitness assessments that include the co-creation of a fitness road map with one of the club's personal trainers, according to the release.
The company is hiring more than 150 employees to work at the new clubs.
“I’m thrilled to be entering this dynamic, fitness-focused market at what we believe is the perfect time,” District Mananger Zach Gutenson said in the release. “We are positioned to alter the local fitness landscape by offering a personalized approach that concentrates on helping members reach their fitness goals in a welcoming community, celebrating every step along the way.”
24 Hour Fitness currently claims more than 440 locations nationwide. The company ranked No. 3 on Club Industry's Top 100 Health Clubs of 2019 list with an estimated $1.51 billion in 2018 revenue.