(Updated at 3:30 p.m.) Washington area health club chain Fitness First is being sold to Gold’s Gym.

Members of the health club were notified of the planned acquisition via email today from founder Peter Harvey.

Fitness First’s Arlington location, at 1310 N. Courthouse Road in the Courthouse neighborhood, will be rebranded as a Gold’s Gym “within the next 2-3 months,” according to Gold’s spokeswoman Caitlin Maddox.

The club’s dues structure will not change for existing members, club hours will remain the same, and club employees will be retained, according to a “Fitness First Acquisition Q&A” posted on the Gold’s Gym website.

Fitness First was founded in 1991 and currently has 18 locations in the D.C. region. The email announcing the sale is below.

Dear Fitness First members: Effective last night, Fitness First has entered into an agreement with Gold’s Gym International in which they will acquire 17 of our 18 locations, leaving our Bethesda location unaffected. After the transfer of ownership becomes official (by the end of this month), we will send out more detailed information regarding our Bethesda club and any impact it may have upon you. I would like to thank each and every one of you for your support over the years – from new members to those who have been on board for 22 years. I hope we’ve made a difference for you, and I wish you all future success and great health! Peter Harvey

Photo via Google+. Hat tip to Alan H.