Scottsdale-based Mountainside Fitness is making its debut in three submarkets of Tucson — becoming the first fitness provider to enter these high-growth areas. Plans call for opening fitness centers in Oro Valley, Vail and Marana, areas outside of Tucson that show very similar demographics to Metro Phoenix, said Craig Cote, CEO of Mountainside Fitness.

“Even more surprising is the lack of fitness opportunities in those suburbs,” Cote said.  Mountainside Fitness’ primary competitors in the Tucson market are LA Fitness, Vasa Fitness and Chuze‚ none of which are in the suburbs of Oro Valley, Vail and Marana, he said.

Homebuilders have seen success in Marana and Vail; and Oro Valley offers very strong demographics, Cote said.

“Everything in Vail and Marana is very new — schools, hospitals and retail shopping centers,” he said. “Rooftops are new. They really feel like the upper middle market demographics similar to Chandler, Gilbert, Surprise and Peoria.”

There’s also an opportunity to add a fourth fitness center in that Tucson market, Cote said.

“It feels like a pinch-me moment,” he said. “We have this unique opportunity to do three more and likely a fourth in southern Arizona. There’s at least room for one more over the next few years. We have an opportunity to get in there and serve the Tucson marketplace with what we do well.”

Scheduled to open later this year, each of the new centers in southern Arizona will employ between 100 and 120 people.

The fitness center at Oro Valley Marketplace at the southwest corner of Oracle and Tangerine will take over a 45,000-square-foot building formerly occupied by Ashley Furniture.

For the other two — at Houghton Towne Center in Vail and a new retail center at the northeast corner of Twin Peaks Road and Interstate 10 in Oro Valley — new 40,000-square-foot standalone buildings will be constructed.

Total development costs for each location will range between $11 million and $12 million for a total of $33 million, Cote said.

Scottsdale-based Store Capital, a real estate investment trust that has worked with Mountainside Fitness on other projects, will help finance these new projects, he said.

Founded in 1991, Mountainside Fitness currently operates 22 fitness centers in Metro Phoenix.

It just broke ground on its 23rd location at Morrison Ranch in Gilbert, where it is scheduled to complete construction during the second half of 2026
at the northeast corner of Higley and Warner roads.

That 40,000-square-foot structure is a joint development with Morrison Family and Evergreen Development.

Cote isn’t stopping there.

He has two other projects in entitlement at Vistancia in Peoria and at the southeast corner of Cave Creek Road and Carefree Highway in the town of Cave Creek. Those also are expected to be open by the end of the year, with financing also provided by Store Capital.

Cote also is eyeing the far West Valley, along the I-10 corridor as well as Loop 303 corridor, for future development beyond 2027.

“West Phoenix has a lot of opportunities for Mountainside Fitness, whether it’s the 303 corridor or the I-10 corridor,” Cote said. “We’re looking at properties within both West Valley areas.”