The Bears will open their 45,000-square-foot team-themed fitness center next spring. Bears Fit will be located approximately four miles from Halas Hall and feature state-of-the-art equipment, a 40-yard sports turf, recovery center, group fitness classes, saunas and steam rooms, a Bears Pro Shop and an interactive kids club, among other features (Bears). FORBES' Matt Rybaltowski noted the 49ers last week opened the similar-themed 49ers Fit in San Jose, and team President Al Guido "celebrated the opening of the 36,500-square-foot facility with a ribbon-cutting ceremony." The facility, like that of the Bears, will include a 40-yard turf field with "space for sprint work, functional training and group sessions." Members of the new gym will "also have access to an expansive area replete with free weights, cardio, power and speed training." The opening of 49ers Fit "marks the culmination of a two-year project" by the team and 49ers Fit Chair Mark Mastrov. Cowboys Fit, a 60,000-square-foot facility overlooking the plaza at the Cowboys HQ in Frisco, opened in May '17, and Mastrov is "targeting" early '19 to "open a second Cowboys' facility in Plano." Mastrov has "had discussions with several other NFL teams on adopting the model." While Guido "does not have any long-term projections on how many facilities the 49ers could open in the area, he hinted that the team could target a range of about three to six venues if the concept is successful" (FORBES.com, 11/15).
