Gym · Colorado Springs, CO
Gym Funding in Colorado Springs, CO
Short answer
Gym businesses in Colorado Springs, CO can compare equipment financing, revenue-based financing and business term loan, depending on the purpose, repayment capacity and provider requirements. Underwriting note for this industry: Membership recurring revenue with January surges. Now Biz Fund reviews the request without a hard credit pull and matches it with funding partners active in Colorado Springs, CO.
This is a working guide to funding a gym or fitness business in Colorado Springs, CO: how the operating cycle creates the need for equipment refreshes, buildouts and the January surge, which three or four products actually fit, what the payment looks like at a typical amount, and how the Colorado Springs market and Colorado rules shape the decision.
Colorado Springs, CO
How Colorado Springs shapes the decision.
Colorado Springs is Colorado’s second-largest city, with an economy built around five military installations, aerospace and defense contractors, a large nonprofit and religious-organisation sector, and tourism to Pikes Peak and Garden of the Gods.
Rents are lower than Denver and Colorado’s minimum wage applies statewide, but military deployment cycles and defense-contract timing create demand swings. Seen from inside a gym or fitness business, a gym needs large floor plates, high ceilings and parking, which makes suitable space scarce and lease negotiations decisive, and instructor pay tracks the local cost of living.
Sunny but with cold winters and heavy spring snows; summer tourism and military pay cycles set the busiest periods. The lesson for a Colorado Springs gym or fitness business is that a gym should expect the January sign-up surge and the summer attrition to show up in recurring billing, and should size any payment against the summer months rather than the winter peak.
Colorado Springs is anchored by Fort Carson, Peterson and Schriever Space Force Bases, the U.S. Air Force Academy, the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Training Center, UCHealth Memorial and Penrose-St. Francis hospitals, and the University of Colorado Colorado Springs. For a gym or fitness business, they supply the employed, schedule-driven members who fill early-morning and evening sessions, and the corporate wellness and student memberships that stabilise revenue.
The addresses that matter are Tejon Street and downtown, Old Colorado City’s Colorado Avenue, Manitou Avenue, North Academy Boulevard, Powers Boulevard, the Broadmoor area, and the Garden of the Gods Road business parks. A gym on one of these corridors captures drive-by and walk-in sign-ups; a gym in a neighborhood centre relies on members who live within a few minutes.
The people and businesses paying the invoices are military families and veterans, defense and aerospace employees, tourists, and a large residential base spread across the Pikes Peak region. For a gym, that mix determines the membership model — monthly dues, class packs, personal training — and how much of the revenue is recurring, which is what revenue-based lenders read directly.
How Colorado Springs compares with nearby Colorado markets
Colorado Springs is not Colorado in miniature, and a gym or fitness business weighing a second location or comparing notes with peers should read the neighboring markets on their own terms.
Lakewood is a large suburb immediately west of Denver, with a federal centre, a redeveloped downtown at Belmar, established neighborhoods and a location at the gateway to the foothills. Rents are lower than Denver proper and the state minimum wage applies rather than Denver’s higher local rate, which draws businesses to the west side of Sheridan Boulevard. Sunny and dry with cold winters; outdoor and foothills recreation traffic peaks in summer, and the holiday season drives Belmar and Colorado Mills retail.
Denver is the capital and economic centre of the Rocky Mountain region, with a diversified economy in energy, aerospace, healthcare, technology, finance and tourism, a booming downtown and dozens of walkable neighborhoods. Rents are high and rising, and Denver sets its own local minimum wage well above the state rate and adjusts it annually, so payroll is the biggest planning variable for storefront businesses. Dry and sunny with cold snaps and occasional heavy snow; the ski-season tourism pipeline, summer festivals and conventions and the holidays shape demand.
Set against both, rents are lower than Denver and Colorado’s minimum wage applies statewide, but military deployment cycles and defense-contract timing create demand swings.
| Market | Anchor employers and institutions | Customer base |
|---|---|---|
| Lakewood, CO | The Denver Federal Center, St. Anthony Hospital, Colorado Christian University and Red Rocks Community College, the Belmar downtown district, and the Colorado Mills and West Colfax commercial areas. | Federal and healthcare employees, established suburban households, students, and Denver residents drawn to the west-side retail districts. |
| Denver, CO | State government, the downtown financial and energy offices, Denver Health and the major hospital systems, the University of Denver, Metropolitan State University, Denver International Airport, and the SBA’s Colorado District Office. | A young, growing professional population, government and healthcare employees, tourists and convention visitors, and business-to-business buyers across the Front Range. |
| Factor | Local detail |
|---|---|
| Anchor employers and institutions | Fort Carson, Peterson and Schriever Space Force Bases, the U.S. Air Force Academy, the U.S. |
| Commercial corridors | Tejon Street and downtown, Old Colorado City’s Colorado Avenue, Manitou Avenue, North Academy Boulevard, Powers Boulevard, the Broadmoor area, and the Garden of the Gods Road business parks. |
| Customer base | Military families and veterans, defense and aerospace employees, tourists, and a large residential base spread across the Pikes Peak region. |
| State disclosure rules | No state commercial-financing disclosure law; ask for total cost and an annualized rate in writing |
| State minimum wage | $15.16 an hour statewide, adjusted each year; Denver and some other localities set higher minimums |
| SBA district office | Colorado: 721 19th St., Suite 426, Denver, CO 80202 |
Minimum wage, SBA office and disclosure details checked October 15, 2026 against official sources: Colorado Department of Labor and Employment: 2026 pay calculation order (minimum wage $15.16), SBA Colorado District Office. Local minimum wages can be higher; confirm current rules before relying on them.
- Colorado commercial financing disclosuresColorado does not have a commercial financing disclosure statute comparable to California’s or New York’s, so it is on the borrower to ask every provider for the total dollar cost, an annualized rate and the exact payment schedule in writing before comparing offers.
- SBA and free counselling in ColoradoThe SBA’s Colorado District Office in Denver serves the whole state, supported by SCORE chapters along the Front Range and a network of Small Business Development Centers hosted by colleges and chambers of commerce.
- Also worth knowingColorado also requires paid sick leave under the Healthy Families and Workplaces Act and runs a state paid family and medical leave program funded by payroll premiums.
Local numbers
Gym businesses in and around Colorado Springs, in figures
The Census Bureau counted 94 fitness and recreational sports centers with paid employees in El Paso County, which includes Colorado Springs, in its 2023 County Business Patterns. That is 0.5% of the county's 18,852 employer locations, compared with 0.5% across Colorado. 51% had fewer than 10 employees. They employed 1,763 people, with average annual payroll of $17,900 per employee.
In the SBA's 2026 fiscal year (October 2025 through September 2026), 42 lenders approved 189 SBA 7(a) loans totaling $75.4 million for businesses in El Paso County, an average of $399,000 per loan. By number of loans, the most active were Newtek Bank, National Association (30 loans); Integrity Bank & Trust (26 loans) and U.S. Bank, National Association (18 loans). Certified development companies approved 26 SBA 504 loans totaling $31.3 million for real-estate and equipment projects there; the most active was B:Side Capital.
How to use these numbers: they describe the local market, not your odds. SBA figures count only loans the SBA guarantees, and a gym or fitness business is approved on its own revenue, credit and cash flow. A lender that is already active in the county is a reasonable place to ask about SBA options before comparing faster, costlier products.
| Measure | El Paso County |
|---|---|
| Fitness and recreational sports centers with employees (2023) | 94 |
| Share of all employer locations: county vs Colorado | 0.5% vs 0.5% |
| Share with fewer than 10 employees | 51% |
| SBA 7(a) loans approved, FY2026 | 189 ($75.4 million) |
| Lenders making SBA 7(a) loans here, FY2026 | 42 |
| SBA 504 loans approved, FY2026 | 26 ($31.3 million) |
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2023; U.S. Small Business Administration, 7(a) Lender and 504 CDC Activity Reports, FY2026 (data as of September 30, 2026, by project county). County figures include the whole county, not only Colorado Springs.
Gym essentials
What matters most for a gym or fitness business in Colorado Springs.
A gym is a recurring-revenue business with a capital-intensive floor. Members pay monthly dues by card on autopay, class packs and personal training add variable revenue, and the equipment on the floor must be refreshed every five to seven years. Compared with a shop or a restaurant the revenue line is calm, but the January surge and the summer slide are as regular as the calendar. For a Colorado Springs gym or fitness business the capital decisions come down to the build-out, the equipment cycle and the marketing that fills the January funnel.
The full Gym business loans guide covers the rest in depth: how each product fits, what lenders check, the documents that settle a decision, typical timelines and the mistakes that cost owners money.
- Lender viewRecurring billing data supports revenue-based products.
- Margins and cash patternMembership recurring revenue with January surges
- SeasonalityJanuary sign-ups; summer attrition
Products that fit
Three or four structures, not thirty.
These four structures cover almost every gym request in Colorado. Ranges are market guidelines, not offers; the notes explain the fit for a gym or fitness business.
| Product | Time to fund | Eligibility review | Amount to discuss | Pricing structure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Equipment financing | Provider-dependent; confirm availability of funds | Operating-history requirements vary by provider; Ask which personal and business credit checks apply | Provider-specific; size to repayment capacity | Loan interest or lease payments; compare deposit, fees and ownership terms |
How each structure fits a gym or fitness business, with worked comparisons, is covered in the Gym business loans guide.
Worked example
What $71,000 looks like for a gym or fitness business.
A rate on its own says little. The estimator prices the best-fit product across its published range at a realistic Colorado Springs amount, and the table beneath puts two alternatives beside it at the same figure.
Payment estimator
Estimate a equipment financing payment
Equipment financing at a typical floor-refresh cost for a Colorado Springs gym across the published APR range; revenue-based and term-loan structures are compared beneath at the same amount. Illustrative equipment-financing figures for a typical Colorado Springs gym refresh, with a revenue-based and a term-loan alternative shown below at the same amount. Equipment financing at a typical floor-refresh cost for a Colorado Springs gym across the published APR range, with revenue-based and term-loan structures compared beneath.
$1,822 per month and $109,338 in total payback (18.5% assumed annual interest; 60 months; fees excluded).
Hypothetical figures using the stated term or collection period. Fees are excluded. Revenue-based amounts are averages over an assumed period, not fixed payments.
| Scenario | Estimated payment | Total payback / customer settlement | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lower scenario input | $1,406 / month | $84,353 | 7.0% assumed annual interest; 60 months; fees excluded |
| Midpoint | $1,822 / month | $109,338 | 18.5% assumed annual interest; 60 months; fees excluded |
| Higher scenario input | $2,297 / month | $137,825 | 30.0% assumed annual interest; 60 months; fees excluded |
| Structure | Estimated payment | Schedule | Total payback / customer settlement | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue-based financing | $7,692 per month (assumed average) | 12 months | $92,300 | 1.30x; assumed 12 months; actual payments vary with revenue |
| Business term loan | $2,880 per month | 36 months | $103,665 | 26.5% assumed annual interest; 36 months; fees excluded |
Estimates use the midpoint of published market ranges and standard term assumptions; they are illustrations, not offers. Actual pricing, term and payment frequency are set by the funding partner after underwriting. Compare offers on total payback and payment fit, and in Colorado ask for the same disclosures California and New York require.
Secure eligibility check
Fast Funding Review
Begin with the business basics for your gym or fitness business in Colorado Springs, CO. The first step is a soft-pull, no-obligation review; sensitive documents are only ever requested later through a private link.
- No hard credit pull to apply
- Review and funding times vary by provider
- 5+ years in the industry
- Encrypted, private document handling
Prepare the file
Documents that help explain the request.
Requirements vary by product and funding partner, and sensitive records are only ever requested through the protected application link, never through this page. For a gym or fitness business in Colorado Springs the file usually includes:
- Recent business bank statements
- Membership and recurring-revenue reports
- Equipment or renovation estimates
- Lease and existing-debt details
- Membership platform reports: active members, recurring revenue, churn
- Autopay and card-processing statements
Gym questions
Questions Colorado Springs gym or fitness business owners ask.
What is the best way to finance gym equipment in Colorado Springs?
Equipment financing over three to five years, secured by the equipment and paid to the vendor; commercial brands with resale value attract the better pricing.
Can revenue-based financing work for a gym?
Very well, because recurring billing data is exactly what those funders read. Repayment as a share of revenue means the payment falls during the summer dip.
How much can a gym borrow?
Typically $10,000 to $300,000 across equipment, revenue-based and term products, with larger buildouts on term or SBA loans; monthly recurring revenue drives the number.
General questions about credit checks, documents and how Now Biz Fund works are answered on the About page.
A note on what this page is: a funding specialist’s guide, not a lender’s offer. Now Biz Fund matches requests with funding partners; the partners underwrite and decide. Ranges are published market guidelines. Questions before applying? Call +1 (929) 744-5992 or start the no-obligation review.