Failed Gym Club’s New Owner Added to Santa Monica Lawsuit

The man who bought the Beverly Hills Workout in Brentwood has not lived up to an agreement to honor membership contracts sold by the health club’s former owners, according to an amended lawsuit filed Tuesday.

The amended Santa Monica Superior Court suit adds Steve Davis’ name to a suit filed earlier this month by the Santa Monica city attorney’s office against Richard Bravo, Laura J. Lamar and Anthony C. Ponter, the former owners of three Beverly Hills Workout clubs, one of which was in Santa Monica. The third club was in Woodland Hills.

The clubs were closed without warning Dec. 9.

Davis, owner of Davis Gym Inc. health clubs, bought the Brentwood Workout at 11920 San Vicente Blvd. and reopened it under the name of Davis Gym.

The amended lawsuit claims that Davis is charging former Workout members a “rollover fee,” ranging from $20 to $60.

According to the revised lawsuit, when Davis bought the Brentwood Workout he agreed to assume and honor all Workout memberships.

Davis also agreed to honor Workout memberships at his other clubs if he closed the Brentwood Workout, the suit says. These terms are outlined in a handwritten purchase agreement attached to the revised suit. The agreement bears what appear to be the signatures of Davis and Enrique Zuniga (Bravo’s legal name).

Davis could not be reached for comment.

The suit also charges that Bravo, Lamar and Ponter used fraud, false advertising and unfair business practices to attract members to the three Workouts before closing them without warning.

More than 850 former Workout members have obtained claim forms from Santa Monica to seek refunds from the club. About half of the forms have been returned, according to the city.

Typical claims range from $70 to $150.