SCOTTSDALE, AZ — A fitness center in Scottsdale remained open Friday, despite the Arizona Department of Health Services ordering the fitness to close on Wednesday for allegedly violating a number of the state's COVID-19 health and safety guidelines.
ADHS issued a "Notice of Closure for Non-Compliance" to Self Made Training Facility, an elite gym near Frank Lloyd Wright Blvd. and 100th Street, on Wednesday. ADHS sent out a media alert about the closure on Friday.
According to the closure order, the gym's owner has not signed or submitted the required attestation form through ADHS' website, which allows gyms, movie theaters, and some bars to reopen at limited capacities, and has "multiple criminal citations" from the City of Scottsdale for "failing or refusing to follow the state's emergency (management) order."
The order indicates there are seven separate cases against the fitness center. ABC15 reached out to Scottsdale police on Friday requesting more information.
Friday evening, ABC15 investigator Melissa Blasius went to the fitness center and noticed people walking in and out of the building, and others working out inside.
An employee at the fitness center told ABC15 that the owner was not available and would not be available for an interview. A text message to the gym's owner requesting comment was not returned.
A spokesperson for ADHS said the agency can, and will, seek a court order to force the fitness center to comply with the state's executive and emergency orders.
"...by operating in violation of Executive Orders 2020-43 and 2020-52, Emergency Measure 2020-02, and the applicable Guidelines, Self Made Training Facility...and its owner...are jeopardizing the health, safety, and welfare of the public," the order states.
Under the order, Self Made must remain closed until it is given permission to reopen from ADHS and must stop violating the executive orders. The owner can request an informal settlement conference with ADHS to potentially come to an agreement and reopen.
Arizona has seen a significant increase in positive COVID-19 cases over the last several weeks.
Dr. Cara Christ, director of ADHS, and Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey have urged Arizonans to wear masks, wash their hands, and to reduce gatherings, all efforts to slow the spread of spread of COVID-19, especially around the holidays.
On Friday, Dr. Christ also released a video update regarding the surge in COVID-19 cases.
“All of the metrics continue heading the wrong direction,” she said. “My team is working with public health and hospital officials and through public education and enforcement of our existing mitigation measures to address the rise in cases.”
She also said that more than 2,600 business complaints have been filed with ADHS. Of those, she said staff had followed-up on more than 2,500 of the complaints and conducted more than 600 on-site inspections.
On Nov. 17, ADHS ordered Il Capo Pizzeria in Scottsdale to close. Before that, ADHS shut down a few strip clubs and bars in Phoenix and Tucson.
In October, two Scottsdale bars and a Tempe bar were allowed to reopen after agreeing to pay a fine and temporarily reduce their operating hours.
