With no reopening date in sight for gyms across the state one Kingston gym is now part of a group of 600 New York gyms who are now suing the state.

What You Need To Know

  • The NY Fitness Coalition is a group of 600 New York state gyms who are suing the state to find out when they'll be able to reopen.
  • Gyms were originally supposed to be allowed to open in Phase 4.
  • But they were taken out of phase 4 and there's no reopening date in sight.
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"We don't want to be forgotten," said co-owner of Kingston Athletics Gym Christina Krzywonos. "We don't want the industry to be forgotten but somehow we have fallen, we're silenced and I don't really know why."

Kryzwonos and her co-owners of the 15,000 square-foot Kingston Athletics gym feel like they've been left in limbo. The state said gyms would be allowed to reopen in phase 4 but just days before the Hudson Valley was set to enter Phase 4, gym owners heard their businesses would be left off the list.

"There was word that we were in Phase 2. there was word that we were Phase 3, we were never actually outlined in any specific phase and the phases kept going so we were like at least we're at Phase 4 and then all of a sudden it was like earth-shattering that we weren't in Phase 4, but there was no Phase 5," said Kryzwonos.

The state said gyms and malls would have to hold off on reopening after research showed the coronavirus could be spread through HVAC systems. Malls were given the green light to reopen on July 10 but not gyms.

"Our main thing is what's the difference between the places we've been allowed to go and those HVAC systems versus the ones here," said Kryzwonos.

After months of holding Zoom fitness classes online and offering outdoor sessions in their parking lot, the owners of Kingston Athletics say they think they should be allowed to reopen too. So they joined the NY fitness Coalition, a group of 600 New York gyms suing the state for answers as to when they'll be able to reopen.

"Unfortunately, as a last resort against the state to really try and get some answers or aid because at this point we're left with only a fraction of our services outside," said Kryzwonos.

A judge will begin hearing the coalition's case in the next two weeks.