The news on the fitness front is mixed for area residents.

One Cortez gym has closed its doors, prompting fear among area fitness buffs that other gyms will soon be lost as well. However, a second popular gym facility is simply moving, not closing, as some residents had feared.

A lease dispute between Cortez Physical Therapy and Fitness Center (CPT) and Holiday Inn Express has resulted in the permanent closure of CPT’s health club services. According to Artie Begay, an employee at the facility, the business’ lease at 2121 E. Main (lower level of Koko’s Friendly Pub) expires on June 14.

Cortez Physical Therapy owner Annette Mullikin said she will relocate her services, but "will just go with something small, for therapy only." Cortez Physical Therapy will move into a temporary location on July 1.

The fitness center portion has been permanently discontinued; however, members will be reimbursed on a prorated basis, according to Mullikin.

When asked if there were plans to continue a public gym at that location, Holiday Inn Express owner Bruce Lightenburger said "absolutely." According to him, the site has always been a gym, and he has plans to renovate it into a "first class" facility. The date at which it would be ready, however, is "hard to say...(it’s) all in the very beginning stages. " After renovations, the Lightenburgers intend to offer a 30-day trial membership.

In the meantime, the closure of CPT has prompted a rush of new members at Iron Bodies Gym. Rumors that its lease is also ending soon has some residents concerned that this facility will close soon as well. According to owner David Paxton, though, nothing could be further from the truth.

"We’re not going anywhere," he said, explaining that he and his wife, Brenda Paxton, had simply chosen not to renew their lease because they are in the process of relocating to a larger building. "We are expanding quite a bit," he said.

Iron Bodies will move into a temporary home, following the expiration of its lease at the Sands Motor Inn on East Main. Paxton declined to say where the temporary site would be located, but said the business would continue at that site until a new facility on recently purchased property is completed. According to Paxton, "no down time is expected with our membership. (There are) no worries."