Equinox signs up for Neom, Saudi Arabia's futuristic desert city

• Equinox announced a resort in Neom, the desert project in Saudi Arabia.
• The resort will feature high-end restaurants, a floating bridge, and 450-meter pool.

Equinox is joining Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia in dreaming of a desert paradise as the company announces plans for a resort in Neom, the kingdom's utopia project.

The luxury accommodations promise to feature high-end restaurants, a pool the length of 9 Olympic-sized courses, a floating bridge suspended 40 meters above a lagoon, and, of course, a signature Equinox gym.

Announced in 2017, Neom is a $1.5 trillion development project led by the Crown Prince. Located on a rural desert stretch on the northwest corner of the Red Sea directly across from Egypt, Neom is an ambitious undertaking.

Early plans for Neom include a ski resort piled year-round with artificial snow, theme parks that integrate virtual reality, and a city housed inside a 1,000-meter mirrored wall. The project is currently hiring for a variety of roles, including for professionals in "cheetah management."

The project has already faced setbacks. A water supply company pulled out of a $100 million project with Neom after it discovered the kingdom was evicting local tribes for the project. Experts have raised concerns about the kingdom spying on future residents with technology from China. City planners worry that the mirrored city will kill "a significant number of birds."

Equinox, the sleek chain of luxury gyms famous for its $3,000 and up annual price tag for members, entered the hotel game in 2019 with the opening of its first location in Manhattan's Hudson Yards neighborhood.

"Staying at the Equinox Hotel, even if just for a night, gave me a glimpse into what life would be like if it was devoted entirely to becoming the best version of myself," Business Insider reporter Jordan Parker Erb wrote in 2023. She treated herself to personalized pilates classes and infrared spa treatments at the $900-per-night digs.

The Neom deal is part of Equinox's international expansion. Last summer, Equinox announced another resort in Saudi Arabia as part of the Amaala project also on the Red Sea coast.

Equinox boasts a global portfolio, but 104 out of 110 sites are based in the United States, wellness outlet Spa News reported. Three London locations posted a $18 million loss in 2023. Experts blamed the losses on the company signing expensive leases, according to Spa News.