Dayton Racquet Club is reinventing itself, starting with a name change

The Dayton Racquet Club has changed its name as part of a transformation and re-invention of the high-altitude private club in downtown Dayton.

In short, it has dropped its racquet.

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Here's how General Manager Amanda Zachary informed members of the name change to, simply, "The Dayton Club:"

“Since 1971, The Dayton Racquet Club has provided business leaders in Dayton a place to host, connect, work and play. We are proud stewards of Virginia Kettering’s vision for the club she founded and intend for the club to flourish for another 47-plus years.”

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“Over the past 47 years the Club has seen many changes, including the ways business is conducted and how Members use private clubs. To remain relevant in these rapidly changing times, businesses (in our case, club), must reinvent themselves to attract new Members. Reinvention can include physical changes and more subtle changes, such as in a name.”

“The Board of Governors and Management team are delighted to begin this transformation by renaming the club ‘The Dayton Club!’”

“The Dayton Club’s transformation will be more than a name change. Re-invention is happening in all areas: events, menus, craft beverage offerings, and general improvements to the club itself. We are excited for the future of The Dayton Club and creating new club experiences for members every time you visit.”

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Founded in 1971 as simply “The Racquet Club” atop the Kettering Tower at 40 N. Main St. in downtown Dayton, the Dayton Club offers and athletic center with workout facilities, business-meeting space with telecommunication and audio-visual amenities, a 150-seat main dining room with live music on Friday and Saturday nights,and  six private rooms that accommodate up to 200 guests.

But the “racquet” part of its name has been on the wane. What once was a racquetball court is now a bar. The club does have one remaining squash court, Zachary said.

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Like many similar clubs around the country, the Dayton Club is transitioning from a daytime business club to more of a 24-hour operation, fueled in part by the surge in residential population in downtown Dayton, Zachary told this news outlet.

There are eight different types of membership available ranging from $60 to $248 a month, depending on benefits, access to amenities and age of the applicant.

For more information about the Dayton Club, call 937-224-4381.

Photos courtesy of The Dayton Club.

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