Oz Fitness Inc., of Sun Valley, Idaho, says it plans to replace its 24-Hour Fitness gym in the Spokane Valley and to renovate some of the other health clubs in the Inland Northwest that it bought last summer from the big, San Ramon, Calif.-based national 24-Hour Fitness chain.


Ian Riley, president and co-owner of Oz Fitness, says the company will build a new health club early next year to replace the gym at 14210 E. Sprague in Spokane Valley.


He also says it will remodel its downtown Spokane gym sometime next year. Riley says the companys long-term goal is to build additional clubs in Eastern Washington and North Idaho, but he declines to say where they might be located.


You have to be proactive in growth, says Riley, who is a former competitive bodybuilder from Australia. Weve already done some simple things, and we intend to do more. We want to upgrade these clubs.


Oz Fitness bought eight 24-Hour Fitness gyms in Washington, Oregon, Montana, and Idaho, including four 24-Hour Fitness gyms in Spokane and one in Coeur dAlene, from 24-Hour Fitness USA Inc. for an undisclosed price last summer. Oz Fitness also owns a health club in Lausanne, Switzerland.


The company employs about 400 people. Riley owns Oz Fitness with a group of partners, who didnt want to be named. He declines to disclose the companys revenues.


The gyms here will continue to operate under the 24-Hour Fitness name for the time being, Riley says.


That could change, he says. We dont know yet.


Riley has spent the last several months evaluating the clubs, including using the facilities and equipment personally. He declines to provide any details about the planned replacement of the Spokane Valley club or to say where the new club will be built.


He will say that it will be similar to the companys gym at 603 E. Holland, near the Northpointe Plaza on Spokanes North Side.


The Spokane Valley club is badly designed, and lacks the environment we need, Riley says. It will be a breath of fresh air for the Spokane Valley club to have a new building, he adds.


Already, Oz Fitness has made minor improvements to its downtown Coeur dAlene gym, including remodeling the mens locker room and bathrooms.


Its a very old building, and ideally you would knock it down and start over, he says. But we cant do that. So were going to work at it.


He declines to disclose any remodeling plans for the companys gym in downtown Spokane, which is at 718 W. Riverside.


Riley says he intends to call members who havent been to the club recently to encourage them to exercise.


We need to change the perception of health clubs, and keep people motivated to keep coming, says Riley. It doesnt do anybody any good for them not to show up.