No Deceptive Businesses in West Roxbury

The City of Boston has fast-tracked a proposed LA Fitness health club for the VFW Parkway in West Roxbury. LA Fitness is a large national chain owned by an out-of-state company that is known for allegedly deceptive business practices against members and competitors.

LA Fitness' proposal for West Roxbury recently gained approval by the Boston Zoning Board of Appeals even though a reported traffic study conducted for LA Fitness was not shared with the surrounding community in the brief time this project was made public.

While LA Fitness received approval for rezoning the VFW site in less than three months, other locally-owned businesses have been forced to wait for years to improve their business.

Hundreds of publicly available records show that LA Fitness has a lengthy record of alleged unscrupulous and deceptive business practices, including:

• Allegations in Pennsylvania that LA Fitness lied about competitors' financial health in order to steal members 
  
  
• Allegations in Houston TX that LA Fitness lied to new members about pricing with alleged 'bait-and-switch' tactics 
  
  
• Allegations in Arizona that LA Fitness  refused to void contracts when a member fell ill  
  
  
• Allegations in Oregon that LA Fitness tricked a teen into signing a $2,000 contract 

We, the undersigned, question why Mayor Menino and the Boston Redevelopment Authority have given preferential treatment to a predatory health club chain that is known for deceptive business practices. We urge city officials to require that LA Fitness' proposal is subjected to a deliberate public process that allows West Roxbury to understand the full impacts of LA Fitness' proposal on the community and to determine whether their business practices reflect the character and integrity of West Roxbury.

The City of Boston has fast-tracked a proposed LA Fitness health club for the VFW Parkway in West Roxbury. LA Fitness is a large national chain owned by an out-of-state company that is known for allegedly deceptive business practices against members and competitors.

LA Fitness' proposal for West Roxbury recently gained approval by the Boston Zoning Board of Appeals even though a reported traffic study conducted for LA Fitness was not shared with the surrounding community in the brief time this project was made public.

While LA Fitness received approval for rezoning the VFW site in less than three months, other locally-owned businesses have been forced to wait for years to improve their business.

Hundreds of publicly available records show that LA Fitness has a lengthy record of alleged unscrupulous and deceptive business practices, including:

• Allegations in Pennsylvania that LA Fitness lied about competitors' financial health in order to steal members 
  
  
• Allegations in Houston TX that LA Fitness lied to new members about pricing with alleged 'bait-and-switch' tactics 
  
  
• Allegations in Arizona that LA Fitness  refused to void contracts when a member fell ill  
  
  
• Allegations in Oregon that LA Fitness tricked a teen into signing a $2,000 contract 

We, the undersigned, question why Mayor Menino and the Boston Redevelopment Authority have given preferential treatment to a predatory health club chain that is known for deceptive business practices. We urge city officials to require that LA Fitness' proposal is subjected to a deliberate public process that allows West Roxbury to understand the full impacts of LA Fitness' proposal on the community and to determine whether their business practices reflect the character and integrity of West Roxbury.

The City of Boston has %u2018fast-tracked%u2019 a proposed LA Fitness health club for the VFW Parkway in West Roxbury. LA Fitness is a large national chain owned by an out-of-state company that is known for allegedly deceptive business practices against members and competitors.

LA Fitness' proposal for West Roxbury recently gained approval by the Boston Zoning Board of Appeals %u2013 even though a reported traffic study conducted for LA Fitness was not shared with the surrounding community in the brief time this project was made public.

While LA Fitness received approval for rezoning the VFW site in less than three months, other locally-owned businesses have been forced to wait for years to improve their business.

Hundreds of publicly available records show that LA Fitness has a lengthy record of alleged unscrupulous and deceptive business practices, including:

• Allegations in Pennsylvania that LA Fitness lied about competitors%u2019 financial health in order to steal members 
• Allegations in Houston TX that LA Fitness lied to new members about pricing with alleged %u2018bait and switch%u2019 tactics 
• Allegations in Arizona that LA Fitness  refused to void contracts when a member fell ill  
• Allegations in Oregon that LA Fitness tricked a teen into signing a $2,000 contract

On behalf of all West Roxbury residents, we ask you to join us and question why Mayor Menino and the Boston Redevelopment Authority gave preferential treatment to a predatory health club chain that is known for deceptive business practices. We urge city officials to require that LA Fitness%u2019s proposal is subjected to a deliberate public process that allows West Roxbury to understand the full impacts of LA Fitness%u2019 proposal on the community and to determine whether this business%u2019s practices reflect the character and integrity of West Roxbury.