SINCE I BECAME A MEMBER THE FACILIALTY THAT I GO TO HAVE DISPOSED OF SOME OF THE FACILTIES THEY HAD AND CUT DOWN ON THERE HOURS THAT THEY ARE OPEN. I WANTED TO DOWN GRADE THE MEMBERSHIP THAT I HAVE BECAUSE SOME OF THE OPTIONS IN THE PLAN I DONT EVEN USE. I'M TRYING TO KEEP THE MEMBERSHIP FOR HEALTH REASONS. I FEEL THAT MY MONTHLY PAYMENTS ARE TO HIGH. MOST OF THE EMPLOYEES THERE I FEEL ARE NOT VERY WELCOMING WITH DEALING WITH CUSTOMERS.

May 2, 2008: Got an invoice today stating I owe $27 and change for dues plus $27 and change for (one monthe) past dues. My membership expired April 7, 2008. I called to speak to a rep. after being put on hold for 10+ minutes (due to high volume) I talked to a young lady who ATTEMPTED to explain that I have a lifetime membership with Bally's even though my contract was up 4-7-08 and that is why I owe dues.

I stated to her how can I owe when there is no contract. She said cuz Bally's says I have a lifetime membership. Then I said then why does all wrrtten correspondence and my account online state that my membership expired 4-7-08 (paid in full I might add). SILENCE from the ill-equipped and naive rep.

Then, I said, so let me get this straight, according to BALLY LOGIC, I CAN'T go to the gym until I sign a new contract and pay current and past dues for a contract I don't have. So, if I wait a year to go to the gym and then sign up for a NEW (required) contract I will still owe the past dues for that previous year even though I had no contract and OBVIOUSLY did not go to the gym. SILENCE broken only by "UH's".

Furthermore, I asked her to explain how I could have an "expired membership" and a so-called "lifetime membership" BOTH AT THE SAME TIME...no answer.

Finally, I asked her, am I required to pay the so-called current and past dues (per this invoice) for a contract I DON'T have and she said "of course not". Which brought me back to my original question, then how could I owe money for "current dues" and "past dues"? NO ANSWER!

Then, I stated to her that perhaps if Bally's would stop playing shell games with words, interpretations and smoke-and-mirrors marketing, then perhaps their (ex)customers wouldn't experience the long hold times due to high call volume. And, I hung up.

WOW, new ownership, same ole' bull$hit games from Bally's...may they rot in h#ll!