Key takeaways
- Decide who the gym is for before choosing equipment or a site.
- Test the membership numbers against rent and staffing before signing a lease.
- Your licence depends on the activity and the premises; some activities need approvals from other government entities.
- Pre-sales and a trained team matter as much as the fit-out on opening day.
Start with the member, not the equipment
A gym is defined by the people it is built for. A large club for a whole neighbourhood, a women-only gym, a coaching studio and a pool-based facility need different space, staff, pricing and opening hours. Write down who you are serving, why they would switch from where they train now, and what they will pay.
- Format
- Open gym floor, classes, personal training, studio formats, aquatics, or a mix.
- Membership model
- Monthly, annual, class packs or pay-as-you-go, and what each includes.
- Extras
- Coaching, wellness programmes, an in-club café or retail. Each changes space and staffing.
Make the numbers work before you sign anything
Most gym problems are visible in a simple model: how many members you need, at what price, to cover rent, staff, utilities, equipment and maintenance, and how long it takes to get there. Build the model before you commit to a site; a feasibility study does this formally.
- Members needed to break even, and a realistic ramp-up to reach them
- Rent and service charges as a share of expected revenue
- Staffing cost at the opening hours you plan to keep
- Fit-out and equipment costs, including what is financed or leased
- Cash needed to cover the months before the gym breaks even
Choose a site the membership can afford
Most members train close to home or work, so the catchment around the site sets the ceiling on membership. Check access and parking, visibility, the neighbouring tenants and, for the building itself, ceiling height, floor loading for heavy equipment, ventilation and how sound will travel. Our site selection service covers these checks.
Licensing and approvals
In the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, economic licences are issued through the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development (ADDED); its Abu Dhabi Registration Authority (ADRA) is the arm that develops and regulates the business sector. ADDED’s own guide sets out the steps: define the business activity, choose a legal form, register a trade name, obtain initial approval, prepare contractual documents, find a location and obtain a tenancy contract, obtain any additional approvals, and then obtain the licence.
Check the requirements for your activity
ADDED notes that, depending on the activity and location, a business may need additional approvals from other entities. Confirm the current requirements for a gym on your chosen premises through ADDED or the TAMM platform before you sign a lease.
Sources
- Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development — Establish your business (opens in a new tab) — page last updated 24 September 2026; accessed 3 October 2026
- Abu Dhabi Media Office — ADRA records 21 per cent increase in new economic licences in Q1 2026 (opens in a new tab) — published 22 June 2026; accessed 3 October 2026
Fit-out and equipment
- Zoning
- Strength, cardio, functional and studio areas laid out around how members actually move.
- Building services
- Air conditioning, ventilation, lighting and acoustic treatment sized for a full floor.
- Changing areas
- Showers, lockers and toilets sized for peak hours, not average ones.
- Equipment
- A list matched to the format, with delivery lead times built into the programme.
See fit-out & launch for how we manage this stage.
Team, pre-sales and opening day
Hire early
Coaches, front desk and sales trained before the doors open.
Sell before you open
Founding memberships give early cash and a full floor on day one.
Open with systems
Membership software, payments, cleaning and maintenance routines in place.
Measure from week one
Members, cancellations, class use, revenue and staffing cost, every month.
How New Line Investment can help
We own and run RPM Gym and Proxy Gym in Abu Dhabi and Code 5 Gym in the Al Ain Region. We can develop a gym with you, invest in it, or manage it once it opens.
Questions we get asked
Do I need a licence to open a gym in Abu Dhabi?
Yes. Any business in the Emirate needs an economic licence for its activity, issued through the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development. Depending on the activity and location, additional approvals from other entities may be needed.
Should I sign the lease before the licence?
Check first. ADDED’s process includes obtaining a tenancy contract for the business location, and some activities need additional approvals for the premises, so confirm that the site works for a gym before you commit to it.
Can someone else run the gym for me?
Yes. A management company can run the gym day to day against agreed targets and reporting. See when to hire a management company.