24 Hour Fitness to close 4 gyms in San Diego County amid bankruptcy

National gym giant 24 Hour Fitness is permanently shuttering four of its locations in San Diego County following a bankruptcy filing last week.

The local spots affected include downtown Chula Vista, La Jolla West, San Marcos and Vista. These closures are among 130 total 24 Hour gyms to shutter — about 30 percent of the chain’s 445 locations nationwide.

Company executives said the coronavirus pandemic is the source of the gym’s sticky financial situation.

“If it were not for COVID-19 and its devastating effects, we would not be filing for Chapter 11,” Chief Executive Officer Tony Ueber said in a statement.

The company wasn’t able to sign on new members over the past several months, and started suspending monthly membership dues for existing members after the closures, court records show.

The gym filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, which allows the company to keep operating while it works out a plan to pay its creditors and ease its debt load of $1.4 billion.

In San Diego County, over 20 of the gym’s locations are set to reopen June 22. But the future financial success of these clubs (and all gyms) is uncertain, as consumers may or may not return to fitness facilities amid COVID-19 concerns.

24 Hour will be instituting new rules upon reopening, including the temporary closure of Kids’ Clubs, locker room showers, drinking fountains and saunas. Capacity at the gyms will be limited, and members must reserve a spot at the facility before arriving through the company’s mobile app. The clubs will also close for a 30-minute cleaning before and after each hour reservation, in addition to cleaning throughout the day and overnight.

The full addresses of the closing locations are as follows:

• Downtown Chula Vista — 320 Third Ave., Chula Vista
• La Jolla West — 7680 Girard Ave., La Jolla
• San Marcos — 641 S. Rancho Santa Fe Rd., San Marcos
• Vista Sport — 324 Sycamore Ave., Vista