Donation To Rove-Tied Group Sparks Gold's Gym Revolt - Salon

[WillyT]

Donation to Rove-tied group sparks Gold's Gym revolt
By Justin Elliott - Salon
Monday, Oct 25, 2010 17:19 ET

<snip>

Four Gold's Gyms franchises in the San Francisco Bay Area will leave the Gold's brand after 22 years following the revelation that the owner of Gold's gave $2 million to American Crossroads, the conservative outfit that is funding candidates who are unfriendly to gay rights.

"Our contracts started 22 years ago. We're one of the first franchisees for Gold's Gym. We can't get out over night, but we will be out of it," Don Dickerson, director of operations for Gold's in the Bay Area, told Salon, adding that the bulk of the gyms' business comes from the LGBT community.

"It took us by as much surprise as it did everyone else," Dickerson said of the donations by billionaire Robert Rowling, whose company, TRT Holdings, owns Gold's, to the Karl Rove-linked American Crossroads. A petition has been circulating in the gay blogosphere protesting the donations to Crossroads.

Dickerson said leaving the Gold's brand may cause financial hardship for the Bay Area gyms because being part of the Gold's network allows members to work out at Gold's franchises around the country. Nevertheless, once the Bay Area gyms' contract is up with Gold's in September 2012, they will be leaving the brand. In the meantime, they will donate a sum equivalent to their Gold's franchise fees to LGBT charities.

<snip>

Link: http://www.salon.com/news/politics/2010_elections/index.html?story=/politics/war_room/2010/10/25/san_francisco_gold_s_american_crossroads

:kick:

[flvegan]

1. If I lived in the area, I'd sign up as soon as the sign came down.

And I'd let them know why.

[Scruffy1]

2. I've done business with this POS

One of the biggest assholes I've ever dealt with. And that covers lots of years and lots of assholes.

[babylonsister]

3. Bravo for those franchises! More of this please! nt

[Radical Activist]

4. A small benefit of the Citizens United case.

Let's face the fact that forcing corporations to go through the hoops of setting up phony PAC's with vague sounding names never really stopped them from flooding campaigns with their own money. McCain-Feingold didn't work. One benefit is that now corporations are giving money directly. Now we know what companies are up to and who to boycott. It's easier to hold them accountable.

[emulatorloo]

5. i used to be a Golds Member when I lived near one. Great gym. But I would QUIT over the Rove Ties.

The Golds in San Francisco/SOMA is an incredible facility, I am glad the Bay Area gyms are getting out.

[MadMaddie]

6. I guess this is the Republicans Free Market theory in action.

Good! Breaking up these huge businesses only benefits the communities they are in.

[cbdo2007]

7. I'm sure some of their members would quit but it's too hard to get out of their contract.

Really, I've heard of people that have had to pay over $1,000 to leave their membership because Gold's wouldn't let them cancel unless they found someone else to take over and it was a big mess.

[kevinbgoode]

8. They can affiliate with another large gym chain

and offer the same benefits for travelers. Besides, as someone who used the University gym for years, I found it wasn't that expensive to use gyms in other locations - EXCEPT Gold's. And often, hotels which don't have gym facilities will contract with a nearby gym and you get to use theirs for free - or for a very small fee.

I wouldn't go to a Gold's Gym now for anything. Let them market to the 25% of lazy teabaggers.