"I re-upped. I've got 15 months of membership. I'm hoping somebody will honor it somewhere," said former member Jim Tuck. Gym members had already been noticing changes. For the last two months, Sierra Sport and Racquet Club had been running the gym in hopes of buying it and another Gold's in Central Fresno. When the deal unraveled, another buyer stepped forward at the last minute, but only for the Central Fresno location.
A sign on the door Monday referred members to the new Fresno Fitness. Gym co-owner Stephanie Wait said Fresno Fitness will honor Gold's memberships. "All we know is that we were blessed enough to be able to purchase this establishment, keep the doors open, which was our primary focus, and then have a place where people can continue to work out," said Wait.
Fresno Fitness is miles away from the former Gold's at Friant and Fort Washington. Monday, many members said that was too far and headed elsewhere. Managers at the GB3 at Palm and Nees said they signed up eight times more new members than normal, including Osama Mohammad, who didn't want the closure to affect his daily routine. "We were able to get a deal with GB3, but other than that, I wouldn't be here, if Gold's didn't shut down," said Mohammad.
Employees from both GB3 and Bally's both showed up at Gold's Gym Monday, offering gym members a place to work out.
An attorney for Sierra Sport and Racquet said the deal with the former Gold's owners fell apart after the sellers failed to get consent from the gym's landlords at Friant and Fort Washington. Action News was unable to contact the former Gold's owners.
