McLean, Va.-based US Fitness Holdings, a health club company founded by the former owners of Gold’s Gym, has purchased Sport & Health, a chain of popular Washington-based health clubs with locations in Bethesda, Rockville and Gaithersburg, for an undisclosed sum.
“Sport & Health provides us with a broad platform in a major metropolitan area,” US Fitness founders Kirk and John Galiani said in a release.
The Galiani brothers will serve as co-executive chairmen of US Fitness. Health & Fitness’s top executive, Mark Fisher, and its top financial officer, Scott Thomas, will take those positions with US Fitness.
“I’ve followed the Galianis through their career and it’s remarkable what they’ve accomplished,” Fisher said.
The Galiani brothers formed US Fitness in 2011 when they partnered with New Evolution Ventures, which had a stake in health club brands around the world. Its health clubs include more than a dozen OneLife Fitness and Crunch clubs throughout the mid-Atlantic region.
Sport & Health Clubs started in the Washington area in 1973 to become the region’s largest health club chain, with 23 locations in Washington, Maryland and Virginia. The will continue to operate under their own name.
US Fitness executives say the acquisition makes their company one of the largest health club chains in the country.
Last month, Equinox Fitness, with clubs in Bethesda and Tysons Corner, announced it was buying six Sports Club/LA locations.