Onyx Club: Social Engineering

Black Rock Mountain Resort’s Onyx Club, a rather ambitious 10,000-square-foot undertaking, appears to be an attempt to curate community. Alfredo Anguiano, a name I recognize from various charity galas, seems to be betting on the ‘sticky’ factor, luring residents beyond the initial real estate purchase. Tina Polmatiere, with her impressive BYU pedigree and decades of local coaching, is clearly the operational core— a ‘connector, cheerleader and organizer,’ as the article so succinctly states. The layout, described as upper-level accessibility and lower-level specialization, feels… predictable. Keiser machines, predictably. Steam rooms and Hyperice tools, also predictably. They've aimed for a space beyond the utilitarian Basin Recreation Fieldhouse, falling somewhere beneath the stratospheric cost of a full country club membership. The photographs reveal crisp white linens on the lounge furniture and what appears to be a muted palette of greys and charcoal. It is, shall we say, safe. I suspect the 'youth access' stipulations are less about genuine inclusivity and more about preventing the riff-raff from disturbing the carefully cultivated ambiance. Membership, at $99 or $139 per month, is a perfectly reasonable price point for avoiding one’s neighbors at the City Market. Request a booth overlooking the hockey arena; the distraction is welcome.