America's Paradise Gym/Rapid Fitness

The one at Havensight is in Paradise Gate, the new bar/restaurant/swimming pool complex at the end of the cruise ship dock.

I'm glad you posted this! I was wondering. Heard WAPA cut them off. I worked out at Paradise Gate Saturday and wasn't very excited about the place or the price. Hoping Nisky opens back up pronto. argh.

Thanks for the Paradise Gate directions, EE...my husband found it the other day. Jen, like you, he was rather shocked at the price. That is like NYC prices for gym memberships! Who, of the locals, can afford this place?? I guess with their Havensight location, they aren't really concerned with serving locals?? Hubby, instead, went over to Extreme Fitness (a really long way for him!) and signed up for a month...hopes that Nisky will open back up soon. Guy at Extreme said that the landlord at Nisky shut the doors because they were owed tons of back rent. Either way, looks like Rapid Fitness is getting a bad deal here. How in the world could they have not known about all of the issues before they took over, is my question??

My answer: VI NORMAL

This really sucks. My roommate and I are going to buy a 10 day pass to Paradise Gate for $80 over the weekend if nothing changes and hold out hopes for Nisky for 2 more weeks.

I'm taking a private pilates class tonight and running up and down my steep driveway tomorrow. ha.

Hmm, the day we had lunch there, we ran into several local folks going in to work out. I thought the whole complex was aimed at crew.

Jen - Where are you taking your Pilates class? Jackson Wellness Complex? On the apparatus?? I owned my own Pilates/massage studio back in the states and am hoping to get something going with it down here. Rapid Fitness was going to put in a Pilates studio within their facilities so I was holding out for that....In the meantime, I am doing some massage work at Crown Bay (Beth Benta's space - Bodywork Delivered) and working in an office on the west end, private Pilates matwork sessions on the side....

In the meantime, I have got the skinny (at least somewhat, as I have been in talks with the Rapid Fitness owner)...former owners of Paradise Gym are in litigation so Rapid is distancing themselves from them and will open their own facilities down here...no word on when that will be, unfortunately, so you may want to go ahead and get a month pass (or 3 months somewhere if they have those)...My husband just signed up for a month at Extreme, but I think it will be awhile before Rapid will actually be down here.

I will keep everyone posted as I learn things...

pilatesgal318

I know a woman who teaches classes on Wed at a friend of mine's home.

Ironically, the supplement of Women Today came out in the Daily News today and there is quite an article promoting Rapid Fitness and all the great things they are going to do.

My name is Dylan, I am the boyfriend of Liz the General Manager of the gyms. I am posting this information in the hope of:

1. Clearing up misconceptions about America's Paradise Gym/Rapid Fitness

2. Insuring that Liz' name remains in good standing with all members involved

To begin with, Anthony Mellone entered into a purchase agreement with Geoff Paradise to purchase the 3 gyms AND THE ASSETTS ONLY. Unfortunately, Geoff Paradise had over 400K worth of back debt which he tried to assign to the purchase agreement, so Anthony backed out. None fo the gyms are going to re-open anytime soon IN THEIR PRESENT STATE. Wapa is owed over 80K, the back rent on Four Winds is 92K, back rent on Nisky Center is over 110K.

Since Liz was promoted to GM of these facilities by Tina paradise some 2 months ago, she has not only built a network of satisfied clients, but improved the level of employees under her charge, upgraded the child care program and to this day is attempting to fix memberships which became screwed up because of the business dealings of Geoff and Tina Paradise.

I am trying at the present to put together a benefit concert in order to raise money for Liz to be able to acquire the Assets and location of the Nisky Center Property ONLY.

NOW................................. Approximately 10 days ago, Tina Paradise, on a Thursday Morning, Tina froze the payroll account through which Liz was paying her employees. the following morning, I answered the phone at the gym when Tina called, wondering where all the money had went, claiming Liz had written over 12K in checks to herself!!! I later found out that it was GEOFF PARADISE who cleaned the account out.

Liz and I have secured all the evidence from the Nisky Center location, including the computer which I believe Tina and Geoff have been hacking, in order to double bill memberships.

Folks, PLEASE do not blame Liz for this injustice. Liz STILL gets calls at 2 and 3 in the morning concerning employees who have not been paid, memberships which have been double billed, etc.

Liz loves this gym and wants desperately to purchase the facility, however, we just don't have the cash or the credit. This is why I am appealing to country recording artists I used to tour with to come here and do a benefit for the sake of the gym.

Liz will be posting a little later on today concerning these issues.

But if any of you feel cheated, please call the local FBI, WE WANT GEOFF PARADISE TO STAND ACCOUNTABLE FOR WHAT HE HAS DONE!!!!!

iF ANYONE Has any questions, please email Liz at: hunterwife06@hotmail.com

Thanks to all of you for understanding that this is NOT the fault of Liz, all she wants is to give all of you a great place to work out.

Sincerely,

Dylan

Thanks for the post, Dylan. I know that Liz is upset about all of this and that she just wants to make things right and have the gym back for everybody. I hope something works out and my hubby, Jim, and I are behind her 100%!

I heard that the gym at Nisky will reopen next week. Has anyone heard this?

I posted a post about this a couple days ago. The gym is currently undergoing new paint, a new a/c unitand is scheduled to open AS SOON AS WAPA can get the power back on. Liz has already taken care of most of the paperwork, the new owners will be back on island late this evening.

All folks who had ACTIVE and CURRENT memberships at the time the gym closed will have their memberships honored. There will be a new staff, Liz will open, Barb will work throughout the day and Liz has hired a couple other people to work evenings and take care of child care.

PLEASE PASS THE WORD on this..............

If anyone else has any questions, please call Liz on her cell phone: 340-513-3374

Thanks, Dylan...I didn't see this post the other day so thanks for re-posting. I will be in tomorrow (Friday) to see if I can talk with the owners (and see Liz!). I am anxious to see what they want to do about a Pilates program there....looking forward to having Nisky open again, as I know many others will be as well!

Pilatesgal318,

How you been? I THINK Liz and the new owners are going to STX today to hire people for that gym, but give Liz a call when you read this and talk to her. I KNOW that WAPA said they would have the power back on by this afternoon, just remember it's WAPA.............................................

Liz has already told me that she wants you to do the pilates thing at Nisky, sooooooooooooo........................

Thanks, Dylan,

I will call Liz today when my hubby and I are out and about...Hope we can see those gym lights on next week!!

Is the gym open? I tried to call the number, but it's not in service.

Thanks,
Jen

Hi Jen,

I stopped in the gym yesterday (Mon. 11/19) to see the activity. They will get a new phone number...it isn't officially open yet but they are in there working, painting, walls going up, coming down and everything in between!!! Good to see they are getting some renovations going. They are even working without electricity!!! Waiting for WAPA to turn power on...Dylan/Liz, if you are out there, give us an update when you have time....

pilatesgal318

Good Morning Everyone,

Well Liz is off to work on the gym, I'm home sick, go figure.......................

The only hold up is WAPA at this point. Onbe would tend to think that since the power was on there for so long, they would have records, but noooooooooooooooooo.........................new owners, new account, new crap top deal with.

Look for the doors to open this week though.................Liz is signing up new members daily.

PILATES GAL?!? HAve you spoken with Liz in the past few days?

Anyone else who needs info about memberships or rates should call Liz at: 340-244-8778

Hi Dylan,

I just stopped in the gym on Friday and spoke to Liz briefly...hopefully, all will go well with WAPA early next week and those doors will be open!!

Hi,
Does anyone have an update on Rapid Fitness, particularly on St. Croix? Also, I'd be interested in finding a personal trainer on St. Croix. Any recommendations? Thanks much, Kim

The gym is closed again for not paying their WAPA bill. What a joke.

Maybe that's the reason some people are trying to raise money to get out of Dodge tomorrow?

I saw that post too. Interesting!

A little inside FYI on this one...the owner in Florida, Anthony Mellone, cleaned out the bank account at First Bank, has written several bad checks to WAPA (hence the shutting off of power) and has also written bad payroll checks ....the employees (including Liz, the GM) haven't been paid in weeks...I was teaching a Pilates class there on T/Th a.m. (fortunately, I was not paid by the gym but asked for a $5 class fee from my participants) and also had use of the massage therapy room there....had to get my stuff out today and vacate the premises...
such a shame...I was hopeful I could build a practice there but back to the drawing board!

This was not, in any way, instigated by Liz...the owner is a scam artist..

So, does anyone have any ideas as to where I can teach a Pilates class two mornings per week?? I will teach Thursday on Brewer's Bay Beach (weather permitting) unless I can find other temporary quarters...

Check the Marin Center at Antilles school.

Another reason we pay through the nose for WAPA (including poor management) is because of scam artists like this. This jerk needs to be prosecuted. I wonder how many new people tossed money away on a new membership?