Gold's Gym — Attraction in Brooklyn Park

This review is not based of the Staff at this place. More the upper management. I have been a member of Gold's Gym for almost 15 years ( Tampa, FL) I recently came to Maryland because I am opening up a new business in the area. My first day of coming to the gym I explained that I from FL and have a membership with Gold's Gym there. I used my 14 day travel pass. Since July I have been paying $12.50 for a day pass every time I've been there. Sometimes even $25 because it seems some of the staff doesn't know how out of state membership works. Never complained about the inaccurate charges. What started my frustration with this location is that later on after paying the $12.50 per day for a day pass. One of the associates there told me I could pay $50 for a month pass instead of the $12.50 per day for the day pass. This option should have been given to me early on when I explained my situation. But I'm assuming either due to lack of knowledge or all associates not aware this could be done. The problem for me really started when I inquired about getting a membership. I asked about the different options that were available to see which made the most since. You figure basic math if I come twice a week, that's $25 a week. So for a month I'm paying $100. If been coming since July. Which is paying more than the basic membership would have cost. Yes, that was my choice because I travel and I'm only here temporarily. So it didn't make since to join and have to deal with the hassle of trying to cancel later on. Especially since this is a Franchise location and only few places available in Maryland. So I asked about the basic membership, which is $19.99 a month also requiring a initial fee. So I asked if this fee could be waived since I've spent alot of money in this establishment already. The answer was No. I asked the associate at the counter if there was a manager available that could explain why this fee could not be waived. The response again was No. No real explanation other than a policy that couldn't really be explained. So I left and will no longer give this location my business again anytime soon. I contacted the area manager, named Carissa, I apologize if I spelled that incorrectly. She called me back promptly and again the answer was No. I asked her how other plans required as little as $1 intitail payment but they couldn't waive it. No real explanation, me personally I felt she could have cared less. They would rather lose a customer over $1 than to gain a customer and make more money. As a business owner that makes absolutely no sense. I also contacted the Gold's Gym headquarters in Texas and spoke to someone there. They were very apologetic and said THERE IS A WAY TO WAIVE THE INTITAIL FEE. Why this couldn't be done in the first place I'm not sure. It seems either there's a lack of caring or maybe a lack of what can be done from a management perspective. Not only did they lose my business but my friends that go there as well. For me a Gym is a Gym. As long as they have weights I'm perfectly in my element. I joined another gym that obviously wanted my business more. I will be keeping my Tampa Gold's Gym membership because it's not part of...

This used to be an amazing gym. It's gotten so crowded in there that I can't even get on the free weights side during the week anymore. But instead of adding a couple of new bench presses or fixing some of the broken equipment (every other machine has something wrong with it)...they spent $60,000 on FAKE GRASS. They covered about a quarter of the floor in the stuff, cramming all the machines that were there all into one side. You can't even walk between some of the machines because they are so close together. If you want to work out at all, be prepared to be in someone's sweaty armpit the whole time.....unless you like fake grass...there's tons of room out there on the grass.

If you lift any kind of free weights, stay away from this gym. You will be forced to sacrifice a lot of your workout because it's way too busy in the free weight area, and not nearly enough equipment.

There is so much wasted space in this gym I cannot understand it. Everything I want to do at a gym has become harder and harder over the years, and now it's gotten to the point where I can't stand being in the place. It's equally frustrating that there seems to be no comparable gyms in the area.

And the slamming. Wow. I know it's a gym and I certainly don't expect quiet, but people THROW weights in there, to draw attention to themselves I guess. Like every single rep is a cry for attention. No one in management has ever stopped people from doing it. They just let it happen. I am also seeing more and more guys working out without any shirt on. Again, management seems to think this is appropriate. Chalk too. There's even signs that say no chalk, but the chalk warriors come in and spread it all over everything everywhere.

I never used any of the classes, but for the people who like to do that, bad news. They cut the class area in half for....you guessed it....more fake grass. That room is embarrassingly small now. Don't worry, they added a garage door though....you know, in case they want to park vans in there or something (???). They left some of the hardwood from the class area, and sections of the walls that were removed...so it looks like a cobbled mess that wasn't thought out before deconstruction began. I have no idea what they intend to do on this remaining hardwood. I don't think they have a clue either. I am actually shocked they didn't just put more fake grass there. Fake grass up the walls, on the ceiling, whatevs. I am half expecting to see a Merry-Go-Round show up in the middle, with a hot dog stand, a roller skating rink, and hot air balloon rides. Maybe a knife toss...

Have been a member for over a year at this location and have enjoyed my experience for the most part up until the past month or so. The facility, cardio equipment, and staff have left a something to be desired.

Over the past week or so there have been multiple pieces of cardio equipment, specifically the treadmills that have been either disabled or broken. The facility has 18 treadmills available to both men and women and 10 of the 18 were unavailable to be used. I know that specific number because I tried all the treadmills that weren’t being used at the time since none of them had a broken or do not use sign on them.

Upon checking all the broken treadmills I spoke with the front desk personnel and asked them if they knew the treadmills were down. They informed me they knew of the issues and apologized saying they were trying to get them fixed. I asked if they were going to placed some sort of sign on the equipment that didn’t work to alleviate a customer having to try each broken treadmill out and finding out on their own. I was told someone was working on the signs. I thanked him and went back to working out.

After a week the equipment still isn’t fixed and there still isn’t signage informing customers of what equipment is broken. I’ve watched multiple gym goers try multiple treadmills only to see them as frustrated as I was when I had to do the same thing they did.

Lastly, the facility has been under construction, which is fine. Though due to the work there has been a build up of dust over the cardio and field equipment downstairs. It’s difficult enough that the facility has been under renovations and some of the equipment has been taken offline, now we have to do your staff’s job as well and clean off the built up dust? Come on…..do better and please.

I’ve been a GG’s member for a long time (not just this location) and these recent issues have me looking around for a possible...