Luis Mendonça Launches “The Elite Playbook” to Help Developers Turn Underused Gyms Into ROI-Driving Amenities

“The Elite Playbook: Turning Resident Wellness into ROI” — Changing the Way Developers Think About Amenity Investments

BOSTON, MA, UNITED STATES, July 24, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- New Book Shows How Residential Properties Can Monetize Wellness Amenities and Justify Rent Increases Without CapEx

In a bold move that’s shaking up both the real estate and fitness industries, Luis Mendonça, founder of Elite Home Fitness and Head of Growth & Partnerships at Elite Wellness Amenity Group, has released his first book: “The Elite Playbook: Turning Resident Wellness into ROI – A Proven Strategy to Monetize Apartment Gyms and Boost Retention.” Order Now On Amazon : ( https://a.co/d/5BVrOdA ) The book is now available on Amazon and is quickly gaining traction among developers, asset managers, and property owners seeking to future-proof their communities and drive revenue.

This release couldn’t be more timely. With Massachusetts and New York advancing legislation to remove broker fees traditionally paid by renters, developers are under pressure to justify rising rents and added fees directly to tenants. Without brokers acting as a pricing buffer, residents are scrutinizing every line item in their leases—and demanding real, visible value in return for premium rent.

“If you’re going to pass on $300+ more in rent, it can’t just be for granite countertops anymore,” said Mendonça. “Amenities must be experiential, wellness-focused, and fully activated. That’s where our model comes in.”

This is a pivotal time for the real estate industry. According to the Global Wellness Institute, the Wellness Real Estate Market reached $584 billion in 2024 and is projected to more than double to $1.1 trillion by 2029. Yet despite this growth, many apartment communities continue to view wellness amenities—particularly on-site gyms—as cost centers rather than revenue drivers.

Luis Mendonça is flipping that script.

“Most apartment gyms look good on paper, but they rarely get used,” said Mendonça. “The Elite Playbook lays out a proven system for transforming these spaces into fully activated wellness hubs—without the property owner ever spending a dollar in capex.”

A Founder on a Mission
Luis Mendonça is no stranger to the fitness industry. As the founder of Elite Home Fitness, the Northeast’s fastest-growing in-home personal training franchise, he built his company by delivering five-star fitness experiences directly to clients in their homes. But over the years, Luis noticed a troubling pattern: the vast majority of apartment fitness centers sat empty—even in buildings that boasted state-of-the-art equipment.

“I saw buildings spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on equipment and design, only for the space to be dead most of the time,” said Mendonça. “There was no strategy. No staff. No community engagement. Just a brochure feature that collected dust.”

The Wellness Amenity That Justifies the Rent

Elite Wellness Amenity Group, a new division under the Elite Home Fitness brand, delivers a fully staffed, seven-day-a-week fitness and wellness experience inside residential buildings—at zero cost to developers or management companies.

Luis’s strategy gives property managers a way to justify rent increases and amenity fees with something residents will actually use:

In-home and in-building personal training

On-site classes and wellness activations

Personalized nutrition plans and virtual coaching

Recovery tools, body composition scans, and progress tracking

These aren't just features—they're retention tools. Buildings using Elite’s model are seeing stronger renewal rates, improved net promoter scores, and a documented rent lift of $150–$300/month per unit, without the need for capital expenditures.

“The Gym Is Dead”: A Wake-Up Call for the Fitness Industry
Luis isn’t shy about his stance on the state of traditional fitness centers.

“The gym is dead,” Mendonça says. “There’s too much competition—boutique studios, corporate wellness perks, at-home equipment, AI fitness, streaming apps. Gym owners can’t compete on brick and mortar anymore when the market keeps building more gyms. You need strategy, not square footage.”

This contrarian perspective is a theme throughout The Elite Playbook, where Luis lays out the case for fitness as a service—not a space. The model flips the script: instead of residents going to a gym, Elite brings the wellness team to them, activating existing fitness centers with real human coaching and scalable programming.

A Game-Changer for Developers and Asset Managers
In the book, Luis provides a step-by-step strategy for transforming underused gym amenities into ROI-positive assets. He walks readers through:

Calculating the financial loss of an inactive gym

Structuring wellness amenities as part of a rent-lift justification

How to align wellness strategy with lease renewals and NOI

Activating unused fitness spaces without capital investment

Gaining buy-in from senior decision-makers with data-backed pilots

And the data backs it up. According to the Global Wellness Institute, the wellness real estate market hit $584 billion in 2024 and is forecast to double to $1.1 trillion by 2029. Residential developers that don’t align with this trend risk falling behind.

Changing the Conversation Around Amenity ROI

What makes this movement different is the alignment of resident experience and investor goals. In an era where tenants demand more, and rent hikes must be explained, Elite Wellness provides a clear narrative for property teams:

“We’re raising your rent—but here’s what you’re getting: a white-glove wellness solution that’s fully branded to match your property’s style and community vibe. Elite Wellness Amenity Group offers a tech-driven, white-label fitness experience that keeps you in full control—while delivering personal coaching, weekly classes, nutritional support, and real health benefits, all inside your building. Plus, with full data access and usage tracking, you can clearly show how wellness is adding value, driving retention, and justifying every dollar of rent growth.”

This changes the amenity conversation from checkboxes to check-ins. From treadmills to transformation.

The Elite Wellness Amenity Group: No CapEx. Just Results.

In an industry where most vendors come with CapEx requirements, costly installations, or long-term commitments, Elite Wellness Amenity Group is breaking the mold. We’re the only amenity partner designed to cost developers nothing upfront—while putting money back into their pockets. Rather than selling overpriced tech or generic programming with no proven impact, Elite delivers a turnkey wellness amenity that directly contributes to Net Operating Income (NOI).

luis Mendonca
Elite Home Fitness
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