While exercise can help with that anxiety many are feeling, gyms have been shuttered across the country ever since numerous stay-at-home orders were put in place. Chris Rondeau, the CEO of Planet Fitness, told Cheddar, "All our gyms are closed throughout the entire country... we closed ours down about mid-March."
Gym-rats may be seeing a light at the end of the tunnel, however. On Thursday, President Trump unveiled his phased plan to reopen America, which could allow some gyms to return to business with strict physical distancing and sanitizing protocols.
What might that look like in practice? Rondeau told Cheddar that it may mean unplugging every other piece of cardio equipment, to ensure more space between users and a reiteration of its existing cleaning policies and procedures.
For those not eager to rush back into gyms that could become crowded, Planet Fitness is partnering with iFIT to launch at-home streaming workouts, a decision made before the pandemic,
"We realized that the trend is going to [digital fitness]. I don't see it as a way that it replaces a gym membership, but it enhances their ability to work out when they can't go to the gym that day," said Rondeau.
Orangetheory Fitness is redefining the future of workouts with smarter tech, strength-based programming, and community-driven studios built for what’s next.
Spain's government has fined Airbnb 64 million euros or $75 million for advertising unlicensed tourist rentals. The consumer rights ministry announced the fine on Monday. The ministry stated that many listings lacked proper license numbers or included incorrect information. The move is part of Spain's ongoing efforts to regulate short-term rental companies amid a housing affordability crisis especially in popular urban areas. The ministry ordered Airbnb in May to remove around 65,000 listings for similar violations. The government's consumer rights minister emphasized the impact on families struggling with housing. Airbnb said it plans to challenge the fine in court.
Roomba maker iRobot has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, but says that it doesn’t expect any disruptions to devices as the more than 30-year-old company is taken private under a restructuring process. iRobot said that it is being acquired by Picea through a court-supervised process. Picea is the company's primary contract manufacturer. The Bedford, Massachusetts-based anticipates completing the prepackaged chapter 11 process by February.
Serbia’s prosecutor for organized crime has charged a government minister and three others with abuse of position and falsifying of documents related to a luxury real estate project linked to U.S. President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner. The charges came on Monday. The investigation centers on a controversy over a a bombed-out military complex in central Belgrade that was a protected cultural heritage zone but that is facing redevelopment as a luxury compound by a company linked to Kushner. The $500 million proposal to build a high-rise hotel, offices and shops at the site has met fierce opposition from experts at home and abroad. Selakovic and others allegedly illegally lifted the protection status for the site by falsifying documentation.
