Fitness, real estate, and community are becoming deeply intertwined.
GymNation secures $100M to accelerate expansion
Backed by HPS Investment Partners, a BlackRock affiliate, the low-cost operator plans to scale from nearly 50 gyms today to more than 100 locations across the Middle East and Asia over the next three years.
Founded in Dubai in 2018, GymNation has grown to more than 200K members across the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Bahrain by positioning itself as an HVLP operator for underserved markets.
The investment underscores how international fitness markets—particularly in the GCC—are attracting institutional capital as participation rates rise and governments prioritize preventative health.
Wellness real estate takes off
New data from the Global Wellness Institute values the wellness real estate market at $876B in 2025, with projections topping $1.8T by 2030 — one of the fastest-growing sectors in the global economy.
- The category includes wellness-focused apartments and hotels, mixed-use districts, recovery-centered office spaces, and walkable communities designed around health and longevity.
- Regions like Saudi Arabia and the UAE lead growth, investing heavily in large-scale wellness infrastructure projects.
As wellness expands beyond products and services, developers are treating health as a core feature of where people live, work, and socialize.
Club Athletic expands beyond New York
Formerly known as The Athletic Clubs, the community-first fitness brand is opening two Chicago locations this summer while rebranding for national growth.
- Built around groups of ~20 people, the squad-based training model combines strength sessions with run clubs, WhatsApp groups, social events, and in-house competitions.
- The structure reflects how gyms are competing on belonging, accountability, and identity, not just equipment or class variety.
Rather than maximizing volume, operators like Club Athletic are designing tighter-knit communities meant to keep members socially invested outside the workout itself.
