US Fitness has announced it has added Sport & Health’s 23 clubs to its portfolio.

US Fitness was formed in 2011 as a partnership between industry veterans Kirk and John Galiani and New Evolution Ventures (NeV). It develops large multi-purpose clubs under its Onelife Fitness brand, of which there are currently nine locations with a further three under construction. It also operates five Crunch clubs on the east coast of the US, with “many more” planned.

Meanwhile Sport & Health, founded in 1973, has 23 full-service health and fitness clubs – 20 owned, three managed – in and around the Washington DC metropolitan area under the leadership of Mark Fisher (CEO) and Scott Thomas (CFO).

The Galianis will be the co-executive chairs of US Fitness, while Fisher and Thomas will be named CEO and CFO respectively. The management team will use its collective experience and best practices to continue the rapid growth of US Fitness in existing and contiguous markets.

Kirk and John Galiani commented: “Sport & Health provides us with a broad platform in a major metropolitan area, an experienced management team, and infrastructure to accelerate our growth through greenfield expansion and acquisition. We look forward to working with Mark Fisher, Scott Thomas and the entire Sport & Health team in continuing to build a terrific company.”

“I’ve followed the Galianis through their career and it’s remarkable what they’ve accomplished. They purchased, built and later sold Gold’s Gym International, realising the first major exit in the industry. Now with the growth of US Fitness, they are once again one of the dominant health club operators in the country,” said Mark Fisher. “I'm very excited about working with Kirk, John and their partners at New Evolution Ventures."

Piper Jaffray & Co served as financial advisor to both US Fitness and Sport & Health. Dechert LLP acted as legal advisor to US Fitness, and Bean Kinney & Korman PC acted as legal advisor to Sport & Health. Benefit Street Partners LLC provided the debt financing as the sole lead arranger and sole book running manager.