By Jason M. White
May 01, 2008 08:04 am
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PENDLETON — A landlord is keeping quiet about a settlement he reached with MyTime Fitness, which he is kicking out of his building.
Part of the settlement is an agreement not to speak with the media, said Chuck Clevenger, the building’s owner. Clevenger said he and club owner Phil Holden were happy with the settlement. Holden was not available for comment, and Clevenger would not provide further details.
Some club members have said they believe the settlement would allow the club to continue at another location. In previous interviews, Holden said he was negotiating to move into 13,000-square-feet of the Remy building at Interstate 69 and Indiana 38.
The settlement came nearly three weeks after Holden announced the club was closing. Clevenger plans to end his lease agreement with MyTime Fitness about eight years early and put a Christian school in the building.
Clevenger initially planned to auction off the club’s gym equipment to pay back an $85,000 loan. It is unclear whether he will let Holden keep the equipment or purchase it. Two weeks ago, he said he would not.
Club members took it upon themselves to raise money to pay back the loan so Holden could keep the fitness equipment. Members were asking 170 people to commit to $500 one-year memberships and pay in advance to generate the money.
It is unclear how much they have raised. As of two weeks ago, they had raised more than $50,000. Holden has said he will return the money if MyTime Fitness can not reopen.
Clevenger was critical of the membership’s plan, because it was not the arrangement he and Holden reached after meeting with leaders of their church to facilitate a discussion several months ago. It was unclear whether the church had played a role in the new settlement.
Regardless, MyTime Fitness is scheduled to close its doors on May 24 and move out by June 1 so a Christian school can move in.
Last year, Clevenger learned that a Christian school in Fortville was in danger of closing and displacing more than 40 students. He decided to remove MyTime Fitness from his building and make a school for those students.
Fortville Community Christian School has 10 teachers and staff who will move into the new Pendleton school, which will charge tuition. The school is scheduled to open for the 2008-09 school year.
School administrator Tony McCrary has declined to comment about the school.
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