Tennessee gyms, fitness centers to open Friday, excluding state's largest urban areas

Natalie Allison
Nashville Tennessean

Gyms and fitness centers in most Tennessee counties have the green light to reopen their doors on Friday, following the reopening of many restaurants on Monday and retail stores on Wednesday across the state.

As with other businesses Gov. Bill Lee has given the OK to reopen this week, the announcement does not apply to the state's largest urban areas, but only to 89 of the 95 counties.

The state's Economic Recovery Group made the announcement in a memo sent by the governor's office.

"Exercise is incredibly important for the physical and mental health of our population, and we want Tennesseans to have access to safe environments where they can exercise as appropriate,” Lee said in a statement. “These guidelines outline best practices in keeping with recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and health experts for gyms to reopen in a way that will keep their employees and customers safe.”

County governments — like those in Nashville, Memphis, Knoxville and Chattanooga, where health departments are run locally, not by the state — will still determine reopening timelines for Tennessee's largest cities.

Knox County has announced that gyms and fitness studios are allowed to reopen Friday as part of phase one of their joint reopening plan with Knoxville.

The state recommends gyms do the following as they reopen:

  • Limit capacity to 50%
  • Adjust equipment layout or restrict access to keep people 6 feet apart
  • Only allow patrons in during staffed hours
  • Conduct cleaning every two hours of equipment and frequently touched surfaces in common areas
  • Close showers and locker rooms
  • Close basketball, raquetball and other courts
  • Close swimming pools, hot tubs and saunas
  • Only allow group fitness classes at half capacity
  • Encourage customers and staff to wear a face covering
  • Close water fountains and self-serve food and drink stations, along with common areas.

The guidance also advises that youth and adult sports leagues should "remain closed."

Reach Natalie Allison at nallison@tennessean.com. Follow her on Twitter at @natalie_allison.

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