Spas & club fitness centers: the perfect complement.

In today's extraordinarily competitive environment, many private and commercial clubs are seeking ways in which to differentiate themselves in the marketplace. Still others simply wish to stay up with competition. Many private and commercial clubs already have sophisticated on-site fitness centers for their members, but many are now giving consideration to the inclusion of a spa. It is well-known that spa development has taken its place as a "required" amenity at numerous upscale hotels and resorts, but the club industry has just recently begun to take notice. The integration of spa treatments and services with a full complement of health/fitness and wellness programs can bring tremendous perceived value to the club and to its membership.

Not too many years ago, private clubs would describe their small exercise facility that contained just a few pieces of equipment as a state-of-the-art health and fitness center. Similarly, it wasn't long ago that the word "spa" conjured up visions of a whirlpool and one treatment room tucked away in a cavernous location. All of this imagery and perception has changed markedly during the past few years as the club member has grown ever more sophisticated in his/her understanding of what comprises quality spa and fitness services. Today, many clubs have very sophisticated fitness facilities with a wide range of cardiovascular, circuit, and free weight equipment. Likewise, spas have undergone a similar transition from both a design and equipment perspective as well as in the diversity of treatments and services offered. With clubs seeking to stand out from the crowd while at the same time meeting the requirements of a demanding club member, the addition of a spa can go a long way toward meeting these expectations. Thus, a quality spa and fitness component can indeed become an important factor in an individual's decision process as to whether to join one particular club versus another.

A few statistics are worth reviewing. The spa business is today the fourth largest leisure industry in the U.S. with over $11 billion in annual revenues. There are an estimated 12,000 spas in the U.S. (inclusive of resort and hotel spas, day spas, medical spas, and destination spas) which is up 25% from only three years ago. Consumers can now find spa treatments at hotels and resorts, doctors' and dental offices, health clubs, airports, cruise ships, and malls. Women account for slightly more than 70% of the market, but spa utilization by the male population has been growing at a rapid rate during the past several years. Currently, about 20% of all spa goers are 55 years of age and older, but the average age of the spa consumer is 40.

If you are considering the addition of a spa and you wish to have it fully integrated into your fitness area, this can be a challenging or daunting task. It is critical for club managers, owners, and/or boards to realize that while the demographics and motivations of spa patrons and health club members are similar, the environments are decidedly different. Whereas the fitness facility typically offers a dynamic, high-energy climate for exercisers, the spa patron is seeking a tranquil, serene milieu. If your club is planning the inclusion of a spa to integrate with an existing or newly planned fitness center, this issue must be addressed in the concept development and design phase.

How, then, should a club best determine whether to add a spa and whether it will truly complement a fitness component? What should the appropriate size be and what scope represents the most viable modality? Put another way, how should a club plan and prepare a spa for operational and financial success? It should all start with the planning process. Before taking a "dart throw" approach to the design process, consider the potential benefits derived from the development of a needs analysis study; this will offer valuable information to allow the club manager and board to make the most appropriate decision as to whether to proceed with the addition of a spa and, if so, what type, size, and location would be most viable. The study should also contain a financial analysis and a preliminary space plan. Then, if a decision to proceed is made, the design process can more effectively move forward.

A case in point is the recent renovation and expansion of the Dallas Country Club's (DCC) athletic and fitness facility. The Sports Center reopened in November 2005 to rave reviews from members after undergoing an extensive upgrade from the former 11,000 square feet of space to the 22,000-square-foot facility of today. The addition included an expansion of the fitness center to 3,200 square feet, a 675-square foot yoga and Pilates studio, a full service spa with a relaxation lounge and four treatment rooms, men's and women's steam rooms, men's whirlpool, a full kitchen, a 750-square-foot youth activity room, reception area, and an increase in both lockers and showers. Services that are offered include a significant personal training program and group exercise classes which encompass strength training, aerobics, yoga, Pilates, and numerous others. Spa services include a wide array of massage, body wraps, skin care services of all types, aroma therapy, exfoliating scrubs, and more.

According to Lizanne Brandt (the Sports Center's director), revenue and member utilization levels have increased sharply. "Personal training, massage therapy, and group exercise revenues have increased in amounts parallel to the number of member visits, and the Sports Grill has attained food and beverage sales four-to-five times greater than prior to the expansion." Member usage has increased dramatically, with an annualized increase in fitness usage at about 72%, a group exercise increase at 38%, personal training at 40%, and massage/ spa services have exhibited a 45% increase.

Bill Hilberth, general manager of the Dallas Country Club for many years, said, "The Sports Center environment engages both younger and older members; those members who rarely used the club in the past are now active participants in programs and leisure activities. Sports Center Director (Lizanne Brandt) has done an excellent job in promoting and exposing the area to our members, and the expansion has truly changed the vision of our entire club."

Three Carpenter, CCM, the current general manager, said, "We're so excited about how fitness and spa services have been received by our members; we're confident that this will serve as a catalyst for the potential expansion of our clubhouse in the future." According to Carpenter, "this expansion has induced people to want to join the club even more than they might have before, and the renovation has really positioned our club for the future. DCC is now ready to be proactive in moving the club to where our industry will be focused in the coming years." DCC is a full-service, family oriented club. Established in 1896, amenities include, in addition to the new Sports Center, a championship 18-hole golf course, 11 tennis courts (indoor and outdoor), swimming pools, and six restaurants. The club currently has approximately 1,700 members.

A spa is qualitatively different from other club amenities. What ultimately is being delivered to the member or consumer isn't just a service, it is "an experience" that the user will remember. Thus, design aesthetics and functionality will play a critical role in the performance and productivity of the spa. As an example, the ideal location for a suite of new treatment rooms is adjacent to existing locker rooms with direct access from them. In this same spirit, a lounge area (sometimes called a "relaxation lounge" or "whisper zone") is recommended to assist spa patrons making the transition from the noise and light of a conventional locker area to the soothing calm of a spa treatment room. Existing clubs have an advantage over new developments with regard to potential construction costs. Locker rooms, steam rooms, wet areas, and other spaces are at the high end of the cost-per-square-foot continuum. To the degree that an existing club can position new spa treatment rooms to take advantage of current changing facilities, significant cost savings can be realized.

Also affecting design particulars is a spa's lineup of treatments and services. For example, a significant portion of local day-spa business is done in salon services--i.e., hair and nails. This can be a potentially high-revenue component of a club-based spa, and for this reason should be considered for inclusion. However, from a planning perspective, it has several important differences from the massage, skin care, and body treatments that are the backbone of any spa operation. Salon areas are typically noisy, and they do not require customers to disrobe to receive services. As a consequence, when deciding where to locate a hair or nail salon within the spa suite, operators should keep in mind that patrons may very well not venture into other parts of the building on any given visit, and they will expect convenient access to these services.

Keep in mind that massage and skin care services will be the most popular and should be considered the core of the club's spa business. Massage services will comprise approximately 50-60% of all of the treatments offered, with skin care at about 15-20%. Treatments can indeed be customized and "signature" (one-of-a-kind) services can be offered dependent upon the sophistication of the spa and demands of the clientele. Further, spa and fitness services can complement one another with program crossover in areas such as weight management, body contouring, etc. Staffing of the spa is dependent upon the size and complexity of the facility as well as the number and types of treatments to be offered. Typically, a full-time spa director will oversee a staff comprised of receptionists, massage therapists, estheticians, and maintenance staff as required.

With the tremendous growth of the spa industry in recent years and rising member/consumer demands, the inclusion of a spa at a private or commercial club is worthy of consideration. An aesthetically pleasing spa that is well-designed, staffed with qualified personnel, and promoted and managed appropriately can be a significant revenue source for the club. Do not treat the spa as just another member perk. It should be cross-marketed with other areas within the club and combined with fitness/wellness offerings. Members will perceive that the spa, combined with the exercise area, will positively impact and improve their health, body, mind, and spirit. The successful co-existence of fitness and spa facilities is an objective not accomplished easily. The club should ensure, early in the decision process, that the general manager and board are supported by a project team that includes a spa consultant, architect, interior design firm, and construction staff. A well thought out plan for design, opening, and operation of the spa is vital to a successful launch and to the ultimate success of the spa from both a financial and operational prospective.

Gary Henkin is president of WTS International in Rockville, MD. WTS is one of the world's leading spa and fitness consulting and management firms servicing private clubs, hotels, resorts, and residential/golf communities throughout the U.S. and abroad. Contact WTS online at www.wtsinternational.com or by phone at (301)-622-7800.