Sqwod Daily / Tuesday, 03 November 2026
Sqwod Daily · Weekday
Equinox names Brendan Whitworth CEO with $1B growth plan & Mark Mastrov opens $10M Las Vegas club in 2027
Equinox has a new CEO and a $1 billion growth commitment, while 24 Hour Fitness founder Mark Mastrov is building a $10 million flagship club in Las Vegas.
Connect the dots
Equinox installs new CEO and signals $1 billion in growth spending
Equinox appointed Brendan Whitworth as chief executive officer, replacing Harvey Spevak, who led the company since 1999 and moves to the chairman role. Whitworth joins from Anheuser-Busch, where he was also CEO, and will sit on the Equinox board. The company operates 118 clubs across 18 major markets and reported double-digit revenue growth, with membership numbers and check-ins at all-time highs. The transition comes as Equinox plans $1 billion in growth investment.
For studio and gym operators, the Equinox numbers confirm that premium, full-service clubs are still drawing members and capital. If your positioning competes on experience and results rather than price, the data supports holding that ground and investing in the quality signals that justify a premium membership fee.
In today's episode
- 01 Build
Equinox Names Brendan Whitworth CEO, Plans $1B in Growth Investment
Equinox appointed Brendan Whitworth as chief executive officer, replacing Harvey Spevak, who led the company since 1999 and moves to chairman. Whitworth joins from Anheuser-Busch, where he served as CEO, and will also sit on the Equinox board. The company reported double-digit revenue growth across its 118 clubs in 18 major markets, with membership numbers and check-ins at all-time highs, signalling that premium fitness continues to attract both capital and consumers.
- 02 Signal
24 Hour Fitness founder opens $10M Founders Club in Las Vegas in early 2027
Mark Mastrov, who founded 24 Hour Fitness in 1983, will open Founders Club by 24 Hour Fitness in early 2027 at 9200 West Sahara Avenue in Summerlin, Las Vegas. The new facility covers more than 45,000 square feet and represents a $10 million investment, including more than $1 million in recovery equipment, with 25,000 square feet dedicated to free weights and strength training across 12 platforms. The scale of the recovery investment signals that operators building full-service clubs are treating recovery infrastructure as a core offering rather than an add-on.
Sqwod recs
- Try: Add at least one dedicated recovery station, such as a foam roller zone or percussion device, to your studio floor for a month and ask members whether it affected their booking frequency.
- Gear: Speediance Gym Monster 2: our verdict and the best price. · Sponsored
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