Former Macon Health Club owner wants to retake control, keeping club open

It’s likely that the downtown Macon Health Club won’t be closing Dec. 31 as announced.

Officers of Macon Health Center Inc., the former owner of the club’s historic building, have voted unanimously to exercise an option to lease the space from the Medical Center, Navicent Health, and resume control of operations, said Jim Marshall, a former Macon mayor and congressman. Marshall is a lawyer representing Macon Health Center Inc.

“There’s no reason not to continue,” said Marshall, who was president of the corporation in 1991 when it gave the building to the then-Medical Center of Central Georgia. The building opened in 1908 as a YMCA on the corner of First and Cherry streets.

As part of the transfer, Macon Health Center retained an option to lease the space and resume control of operations if the hospital decided to close the facility before Dec. 13, 2020, according to a statement issued by the corporation.

The agreement requires Navicent Health to continue to operate the health club for 180 days from the date it’s notified of the corporation’s intent to retake control of operations, according to the statement.

Acting on Macon Health Center Inc.’s behalf, Marshall sent a letter to the hospital Wednesday as notice of the group’s intent to lease the property.

In the letter, Marshall asked that Navicent Health “cooperatively and promptly announce” by Dec. 16 that the club won’t be closing.

Rhonda Perry, Navicent Health’s chief financial officer issued a statement Thursday saying, “We acknowledge receipt of a notice that Macon Health Club Inc. intends to exercise their right to lease the Macon Health Club from Navicent Health. We look forward to continued discussions with them about their assumption of responsibility for Macon Health Club.”

In 2008, the Medical Center announced plans to close the health club in 2009. Back then, the hospital said the club was operating at a $100,000 loss. The facility remained open after NewTown Macon and the health club board raised money for capital improvements.

At one point in its history, the club had more than a thousand members.

Reached by phone Thursday, Marshall said he didn’t know the current membership tally, but more than 100 people canceled their memberships after hearing of Navicent Health’s plan to close the club.

“Hopefully those folks will be coming back,” he said.

Marshall said Macon Health Center officers have discussed business and operational plans for the transition with hopes to continue operating indefinitely, perhaps with a partnership that would include redevelopment of the property while keeping an exercise space.

The club “adds significantly to the quality of downtown,” he said.

This story was originally published December 8, 2016 at 5:37 PM with the headline "Former Macon Health Club owner wants to retake control, keeping club open."