The key facts

  • The first Municipal Gym (32,000 sq ft) will open in December near Las Vegas
  • For $99, they promise three rounds of blood tests and an hour with a doctor; competitors like Fountain Life and Equinox charge $21,500–36,000 per year
  • The project grew out of the Municipal clothing brand launched during COVID; Wahlberg also recalled his unsuccessful experience with F45

An Affordable Alternative to Longevity Clubs

Actor and entrepreneur Mark Wahlberg spoke at the TechCrunch Disrupt conference in San Francisco and talked about a new project — the Municipal Gym fitness club chain. The first club, spanning 32,000 square feet, will open in December near Las Vegas. According to Wahlberg, this project inspires him more than anything in his entire career. The club will offer blood tests, epigenetic testing, recovery equipment, compression therapy, cold plunges, and a café with protein muffins. Wahlberg positions it as an affordable alternative to longevity clubs that charge tens of thousands of dollars a year for similar services.

Competitors Target Wealthy Clients

Most players in this market target the premium segment: the longevity company Fountain Life, co-founded by Tony Robbins, raised $18 million last year to expand centers for affluent clients, and a full membership reportedly costs $21,500 per year. The Estate, a company founded by Robbins and restaurateur Sam Nazarian, plans memberships at $35,000. Equinox, in turn, is collecting applications for a $36,000 longevity add-on to a regular membership. Wahlberg stated: 'We have a better price than competitors, and we will achieve far greater results.' For $99, he said, participants will get three rounds of blood tests and an hour with a doctor to identify predispositions; supplements and hormone therapy will also be 'right there.'

From Clothing to a 'Health Ecosystem'

The project grew out of a plan conceived about seven years ago. The Municipal athletic apparel brand was launched during the COVID pandemic, which Wahlberg himself calls 'not the best idea' — 2020 was a bad time to enter the clothing business, when retailers from J.Crew to Brooks Brothers were declaring bankruptcy. The idea came from his experience as a celebrity ambassador for fitness brands: 'Everyone just wanted to sell t-shirts and sneakers. And I wanted to have a greater impact on people's lives in general' — referring to nutrition, supplements, workouts, and recovery. When asked whether the clubs are storefronts for his other products (he has a supplement brand), he answered 'in a way,' explaining that he is building a 'health and wellness ecosystem' with 'all the necessary things.'

Lessons from F45 and Aggressive Growth

Wahlberg did not name a target number of clubs but described the growth strategy as 'aggressive': landlords and developers who visited the Las Vegas site offered 'AAA-class locations on very favorable terms' with build-out subsidies. His experience in the fitness industry includes the failure with the F45 chain: in 2019, he invested in the company offering 45-minute workouts at a $450 million valuation; it went public in 2021, and in 2023 it was delisted from the NYSE after a stock collapse. 'I think the main takeaway is to make sure I work with people who share my approach,' he said. He also noted that he has always considered the big-gym model better: at Municipal, members are supposed to spend hours, whereas many gyms operate on a 'sign up but don't show up' model, which he 'cannot understand.'

Personal Story and Community

The name Municipal has deep personal meaning for Wahlberg: he grew up poor in Boston, one of nine children, playing on public basketball courts and golf fields. 'On the asphalt you learn a lot — winning, losing, competing, and hoping to get up and try again,' he said. He does not hide his difficult past: as a teenager, he was sentenced to two years for assaults and served 45 days. According to him, two people 'put him on the right path,' including Father Jim Flavin, a parish priest from Boston who has known him since he was 13. He wants the clubs to carry the same spirit: 'It's a place where you can work but have fun, support each other, build community, and challenge people to become the best versions of themselves.' At 55, his goals have changed: 'I just want to feel good when I wake up in the morning.'

A Busy Schedule and Plans

Wahlberg is currently busy simultaneously with the club, the role of Pete Rose in a film, and his daughter's equestrian career. He is so eager for the opening that he compares visiting the construction site to 'watching paint dry.' He does not turn down new ventures: 'I'm definitely not hunting for anything new, but if something amazing comes along, of course I won't turn it down.'