One of the Gold’s Gym franchises in San Francisco announced via thier Facebook page yesterday that they will be leaving the umbrella company, TRT Holdings, after hearing the news that Robert Rowling, the President, CEO and owner, made a 2.2 Million dollar contribution to Karl Rove’s SuperPAC American Crossroads
Dear Gold’s Gym Members,
In response to the donation to American Crossroads from Robert Rowling, the CEO of TRT holdings, Gold’s Gym San Francisco Bay Area would like to make you aware of the following:
We are a local, family run business of 4 gyms. A large percentage of our employees and members are from the LGBT community. Our company works tirelessly to support the LGBT community with financial donations to almost every major local LGBT charity. We are sponsors of the Academy of Friends, Folsom Street Fair, ALCS Riders, SF AIDS Foundation, PAWS, Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, Asian and Pacific Islander Wellness Center, Maitri, SF PRIDE and many, many more.
Gold’s Gym San Francisco has long been a pillar of the gay community. We will continue to be. It is very unfortunate that the CEO of TRT holdings has chosen this course of action. We do not support it in any way. Our original contractual obligations to Gold’s Gym International were signed over 22 years ago and TRT holdings is just the latest in a series of ownership groups that has presided over Gold’s Gym.
Our company has worked for over twenty years to support our LGBT staff, members and community in everyway possible and we will continue to.
We were as surprised by Mr. Rowling’s action as anyone but because our company believes in and lives up to the ideals of equality for all we are going to take the following actions:
1: Our contractual obligation with Gold’s Gym expires on September 15th, 2012 and on or prior to that date (our legal counsel is reviewing our options) we will leave the Gold’s Gym brand. It is a major initiative to create a new brand and leave Gold’s Gym which has been our identity for over 20 years but we will begin that process today.
2: For every dollar we pay Gold’s Gym in franchise fees we will donate an equal or greater amount to LGBT charities. While we donate much more than this to charities and community groups that support the LGBT community we want to make a commitment to match or exceed this amount until our relationship with Gold’s Gym can be severed.
3: Our management and staff will continue to support LGBT causes in every way possible and we will use our business as a platform to fight for change and equality for everyone. We have always taken great pride in being a leader in the LGBT community and we will continue to.
Thank you,
Don Dickerson – Director of OperationsGold’s Gym Bay Area
Thnak you Don Dickerson and Gold’s Gym Bay Area. I really hope that more franchises do this.
If you are a member of many GOLD’s GYMS across the country call your gym and see if they are franchise or run directly by the TRT Holdings Company. If they are run directly by TRT Holdings CANCEL YOUR MEMBERSHIP IMMEDIATELY and tell them why. If they are a franchise as them if they will be leaving the TRT Holdings Umbrella because of this. If they are not CANCEL YOUR MEMBERSHIP. Remember that even though they might be a franchise and not sirectly owned by TRT Holdings franchise fees and partial profits are paid to TRT which can in the future be used to finance such anti-gay Political Pac’s as Rove’s.
Pass the word!