US health club giant Anytime Fitness is continuing its global expansion, last week opening its 2,500th gym in the Spanish capital Madrid, with plans to launch as many as 50 across the country within the next three years.

Anytime Fitness CEO Chuck Runyon was on hand for the landmark opening, together with director of Anytime Fitness Iberia Rod Hill and representatives from the US Embassy. The ceremony took place nearly 12 years after the very first Anytime Fitness club opened in the United States (Cambridge, Minnesota) on 28 May 2002.

“A very small percentage of US-based franchises can say that nearly a quarter of their units are located outside of the United States,” said Runyon. “It’s proof that our business model is attractive to potential franchisees and consumers worldwide. In fact, 2014 will likely be the first year that we open more gyms internationally than in the US.”

The latest site – to be owned and operated by franchisee Alvaro Martin – is the sixth Anytime Fitness to open in Spain over the past two years and will follow the chain’s modus operandi of operating 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. It features a range of equipment from Life Fitness, including free weights and cardio machines.

The health club chain now operates on five different continents and earlier this year was ranked number one on Entrepreneur magazine’s Franchise 500 list, based on financial strength and stability, as well as growth patterns.