Skift Take

It’s difficult to say whether a wellness-themed hotel in Las Vegas can really take off. If the current state of the wellness industry is any indicator, the odds are (sort of) good.

The Skift Wellness newsletter is our  weekly dispatch focused on what’s happening in wellness from a global business standpoint. Skift Wellness lives where wellness meets commerce, mindfulness meets technology, the yoga studio meets the boardroom, and health meets business.

The “Vegas” hotel has a tried-and-true formula. There’s the high rise, complete with an event venue, enormous pool with cabanas, hundreds of suites, and more restaurants than you can count on one hand. But the main piece of the puzzle? The casino.

But one hotel developer is tweaking that recipe by (gasp!) removing the casino from its lineup. The Majestic Las Vegas, breaking ground in May 2020 and opening in 2023, is banking on health and fitness with a four-level spa-meets-gym space taking up precious real estate usually reserved for a casino.

Because wellness tourism is booming, an opening like this could be a smart move. But do customers really want all things wellness when they go to Las Vegas? It seems doubtful at first. But if the sobriety movement has taught us anything, it’s that times are certainly changing.

Speaking of real estate, WeWork is getting pulled into a fitness battle royale between spin brands Flywheel Sports and Peloton over allegations of patent infringement.

How does WeWork fit in? Apparently, the workspace real estate company may have been interested in diversifying its brand before its recent IPO (WeWork does own the gym Rise by We, of course) by investing in Flywheel. Now that the suit is on, WeWork finds itself in a precarious situation, as the court may ask for documents it would rather keep private.

Peloton, however, holds the upper hand in more ways than one. Things look good for the brand in the patent suit, as well as in its recent paperwork filing for an IPO. Maybe it will celebrate at the new Majestic Las Vegas Hotel — if, that is, a Peloton hotel doesn’t launch first.

For feedback or news tips, reach out via email at [email protected] or tweet me @lesliebarrie.

— Leslie Barrie, Wellness Editor

Travel

A New Wellness Hotel Hits Las Vegas: Can a wellness hotel succeed in Sin City? It may be a gamble. Some travelers visiting Las Vegas do want to swap the booze and betting for more me-time, and the Majestic Las Vegas hotel hopes to win them over with its four-level fitness, nutrition, and spa center in place of a casino. Still, Las Vegas may be where wellness enthusiasts go to let their hair down, so a hotel that doesn’t offer a casino may have its work cut out for it. Read more here.

Fitness

Peloton Officially Files for an IPO: Sure, the streaming fitness platform posted an unprofitable last 12 months, but those pesky losses likely won’t keep Peloton from having one of the biggest IPOs this year. The company is expected to have a valuation of $8 billion or $10 billion. Why does Peloton say it deserves unicorn status? It’s “sticky.” When customers buy a bike or treadmill they continue on with the subscription — likely to justify the sky-high cost of the bike. Read more here.

WeWork May Have Tried to Buy Flywheel: While Peloton ramps up for its IPO, it’s simultaneously tangled in a messy lawsuit with Flywheel. The at-home fitness giant is suing the smaller spin company for patent infringement after Flywheel launched its own spin streaming service. Now WeWork is getting pulled into the fray, as recent reports say that the company may have attempted to purchase Flywheel. Can WeWork work it out? Read more here.

Athleisure

Activewear Brands Take Over Fifth Avenue: Out with the luxury, in with the activewear. At least that’s what the landlords are saying on Fifth Avenue in New York City. It’s a sign of the times that as high-end brands such as Henri Bendel and Versace leave the premier shopping street, athleisure companies like Puma, Lululemon, Adidas, and Asics are all too happy to take their place. At least for now, it shows what customers want in the U.S.: athleisure. Read more here.

Food & Drink

KFC to Start Serving Up Faux Chicken Meat: Beyond Meat has a new customer: KFC. The fast food chain is planning to test Beyond Meat’s plant-based take on fried chicken at its Atlanta, Georgia, locations. The meat, though, will still be breaded and fried. So can KFC call the new offering a good-for-you food? KFC knows it’s complicated and is waiting to see what customers think, stating on Twitter, “It’s confusing, but it’s also delicious.” Read more here.

CBD

Former NFL Star Rob Gronkowski Partners With CBD Line: Even if its benefits are still uncertain, it was only a matter of time before a professional football player would partner with a CBD company, what with all the injuries, aches, and pains they deal with. Former Patriots tight-end Rob Gronkowski is doing just that by teaming up with Abacus Health Products on its CBD Medic line. We’ll have to watch and see if he can bring in football fans. Read more here.

Skift Wellness Editor Leslie Barrie [[email protected]] curates the Skift Wellness newsletter. Skift emails the newsletter every Thursday.

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Tags: fitness, food and beverage, las vegas, Skift Wellness, wellness, wework

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