WORLD GYM RESET ITSELF ON Saturday as the Mall of the Mainland-based workout facility celebrated its fifth birthday in Texas City with plenty of pomp and entertainment.
“We’ve had a wonderful five years here, and I look forward to the next five years,” said Mall of the Mainland owner Jerome Karam. “I am sure it will bring us more exciting times.”
The opening of World Gym was a pivotal moment for the revival of Mall of the Mainland, which closed its doors in 2014 after years of declining numbers and a steady retreat of businesses from the 800,000 square foot building.
More than a dozen vendors, from Peak Performance to financial marketing operation PHP (People Helping People) took part in the event, which was capped off by a ribbon cutting ceremony with the Texas City-La Marque Chamber of Commerce.
Those in attendance were treated to burgers, nachos and drinks along with opportunities to join World Gym, whose numbers continue to climb despite the presence of Planet Fitness, which opened last year in a portion of what was once the BP administration office off Palmer Highway.
The celebration of World Gym felt more like a celebration of each of the companies that have made Mall of the Mainland home since 2015. While the Cinemark Movies 12 Theater remains the final holdover from when the Mall originally opened in March of 1991, the influx of new business such as Altitude Trampoline Park and First Baptist Church of Texas City has made Karam’s gamble pay off handsomely.
It was Karam who took the first steps toward retooling the Mall when he purchased the 150,000 square feet that once belonged to Macy’s. From there, World Gym came in, taking 42,000 square feet and becoming the state’s largest in the franchise.
Among those who had vendor space during Saturday’s celebration was Reality of Wrestling, which has been in the Mall of Mainland since two-time World Wrestling Federation Hall of Famer Booker T moved his wrestling academy to Mall of the Mainland in 2016. Located next to what was once Palais Royal, Reality of Wrestling has become a cornerstone to the Mall’s rise from the economically dead.
Entering its fifth year in the area, ROW continues to run live shows on a monthly basis. February is expected to be a huge month for the company, as they will be holding three live shows, with the first coming on February 8.
As for the rest of the vacant space at Mall of the Mainland, there is more of a “stay tuned” feeling as Karam’s plans to add more businesses only means the potential of more ribbon cuttings and more vendors drawn into the building.
