A darkened Regal movie theater on Las Vegas’ east side has quietly flipped the script, trading trailers and ticket stubs for barbells and cardboard boxes. The once-shuttered cineplex just north of the 215 Beltway is now home to a bodybuilding-centric gym in the lobby and a sprawling self-storage center wrapped around it.
Fit Club Las Vegas has taken over roughly 7,800 square feet in the former theater’s main lobby, and co-owner Ryan Diaz told the Las Vegas Review-Journal that the build-out ran a little over $2 million. The gym kept decorative columns and other touches from its cinema days, leaning into a dramatic, almost stage-like backdrop for lifting sessions. “It was almost too good to be true,” Diaz said.
Fit Club Leans Into Niche Training
Owners describe the new spot as a bodybuilders’ gym, complete with a massage room and a dedicated “posing room.” The company’s site highlights day passes and personal-training options that cater to visitors as well as regulars. Fit Club’s online presence also spotlights multiple Nevada locations and a strong emphasis on private training and rotating guest trainers, a model that helped make the unconventional movie-theater layout feel like a fit. For membership details and pass information, see Fit Club Las Vegas.
Storage Moves Into The Wings
Surrounding the gym, Extra Space Storage has opened a large facility that the company lists at 8880 S. Eastern Ave on its website. The location page confirms a new Extra Space site at that address, and the Las Vegas Review-Journal reports the operation launched in September, covering about 112,000 square feet with roughly 1,080 units. A company spokeswoman told the Review-Journal that it is common for self-storage operators to convert empty retail properties into storage because they are “easy conversions.”
Industry Forces At Work
Theater chains were hit hard by the pandemic, and Regal’s parent company, Cineworld, filed for bankruptcy protection in 2022, as reported by The Guardian. At the same time, the fitness business has been on a rebound. The Health & Fitness Association estimates Americans planned to spend about $60 billion on health and fitness in 2026 and reports that fourth-quarter 2025 foot traffic at commercial fitness locations returned to pre-pandemic levels…