How Much It Costs To Start A Private Members Club: $32M+ CAPEX
Opening a private members club can require at least $32 million in researched CAPEX before adding licensing, pre-opening payroll, launch marketing, inventory, deposits, and working capital The biggest modeled assets are $15 million for interior design and fit-out, $800,000 for luxury furniture and fixtures, and $400,000 for kitchen and bar equipment The operating runway also matters because rent and fixed overhead are $105,000 per month, Year 1 payroll is about $865,000, and Year 1 marketing is $500,000 Final funding depends on location, size, service level, liquor licensing, food scope, and amenity ambition
Estimate Startup Costs with Calculator
Startup CAPEX Calculator
This estimates capitalized startup assets only for a private members club, not operating cash needs.
!
CAPEX only Excludes pre-opening payroll, launch marketing, licensing fees, inventory, rent burn, debt service, deposits, and working capital. This tool covers capitalized startup assets only.
Calculate Fuding Needs
Startup cost summary
This table summarizes the main startup CAPEX for build-out, equipment, and systems, plus the excluded launch cash need.
Scenario scale matters here because space, amenity depth, and launch marketing drive most upfront cash needs. Lean limits buildout and staffing, while Full adds premium finishes, wellness, events, and heavier funding pressure.
Lean, Base, and Full launch ranges for a private members club.
Scenario
Lean LaunchLower-risk lease test
Base LaunchHospitality-ready launch
Full LaunchPremium destination build
Launch model
A smaller leased club with limited food and beverage, lighter technology, and a measured member start.
A polished lounge-style club with core hospitality, member events, access control, and a controlled opening pace.
A premium club with dining or bar service, stronger AV and IT, security, wellness, private events, and heavier launch spend.
Typical setup
Use core hospitality, basic access control, and only the essentials needed to open cleanly.
Use a balanced mix of lounge space, event programming, and standard operating systems.
Use high-end finishes, broader amenities, and more staff across hospitality, events, and member experience.
Cost drivers
Smaller leasehold buildout
limited F&B
lighter tech
fewer amenities
lower pre-opening staff
Polished finishes
core hospitality
member events
access control
measured launch marketing
Premium finishes
bar or dining
stronger AV and IT
security and wellness
heavier launch marketing
Planning rangeCAPEX only
$2M - $5MLease test
$6M - $12MReady to launch
$32M+Destination build
Best fit
Best for founders testing demand before committing to a larger footprint.
Best for teams that want a credible premium club without a full luxury build.
Best for operators funding a flagship asset with broad amenity depth and a large opening budget.
!
Planning note: Ranges are planning assumptions built from the model inputs and researched launch patterns, not vendor quotes or final bids.
How do you fund a private members club?
Fund a Private Members Club in tranches, not as one lump sum: tie Month 1 through Month 11 to licenses, deposits, launch marketing, staff ramp, and working capital. Build the plan around membership dues from $550 Social, $1,600 All-Access, $5,500 Corporate, $1,200 private events, and $300 wellness and coaching. The hard part is cash timing: with 195% of Year 1 revenue going to variable costs, you need runway before the member base fully builds.
Fund by month
Month 1-3: licenses and deposits
Month 4-5: pre-opening spend
Month 6-8: launch marketing
Month 9-11: staff ramp and cash
Match source to use
Equity: long-life buildout
Debt: equipment and fit-out
Working capital: early losses
Lease terms: payment timing
What hidden costs come with starting a private members club?
The biggest hidden costs are the months before opening and the first year’s member acquisition spend. For the owner math, see How Much Does The Owner Make From A Private Members Club?; with $105k in monthly fixed overhead, every delayed month burns cash, and the $500k Year 1 marketing budget plus $2,500 CAC means founding-member sales need real runway.
Pre-opening costs
Rent starts before doors open
Permits and inspections can delay launch
Legal formation and bylaws cost upfront
Membership agreements need drafting
Operating costs
Liquor licensing delay risk hits cash flow
Health permits matter if food is served
Recruiting, training, and insurance deposits add up
Soft opens, PR, photos, and supplies cost money
How much money do you need to start a private members club?
You need at least $34.625M in known opening funding for a Private Members Club, before lease deposits, permits, legal setup, liquor licensing, training, inventory, member acquisition timing, and extra cash runway. Treat this as total project funding, not just capital expenditure (CAPEX); for the success metric behind the ramp, see What Is The Primary Measure Of Success For Your Private Members Club?.
Known funding base
$32M researched CAPEX
$1.26M annual fixed overhead before payroll
$865k Year 1 payroll
$500k Year 1 marketing
Do not underfund
Add lease deposits and permits
Fund legal and liquor licensing
Cover training and opening inventory
Don’t assume full member ramp
Key Takeaways
Fit-out is the biggest capex at $15M.
Furniture and fixtures add another $800k upfront.
Licenses and compliance can delay opening and burn cash.
Pre-opening payroll and marketing are working capital, not capex.
Private Members Club Core Five Startup Costs
Site, Design, and Leasehold Improvements Startup Expense
CAPEX, Not Overhead
Treat this as CAPEX, not overhead. The working number here is $15M for interior design and fit-out across Month 1 to Month 6, and it should cover the fixed space build that stays with the club, not operating rent, launch marketing, or working capital.
What It Covers
This budget includes lease deposits, architectural design, construction permits, interior design, lounge areas, restrooms, bar and dining zones, accessibility upgrades, lighting, acoustics, and premium finishes. Estimate it from quotes, square footage, the landlord work letter, existing space condition, kitchen or bar complexity, code compliance, and the exclusivity standard.
Use hard bids, not rough guesses
Separate shell work from décor
Keep rent and payroll out
How To Control Spend
Control cost by locking scope early, reviewing the landlord work letter line by line, and cutting custom work where a code-safe standard finish works. The big swings come from bar and kitchen complexity, bad existing conditions, and late design changes. If accessibility or permit issues surface late, cost and timing both jump.
Freeze layout before pricing
Price options side by side
Track change orders weekly
Main Cost Drivers
The quickest way to miss the budget is undercounting the drivers: more square footage, tougher code compliance, a weak landlord work letter, and a space that needs major repair. A luxury club with complex bar and dining zones, acoustic treatment, and premium finishes will run much closer to the $15M mark than a simple refresh.
Technology, Access Control, Payment, and Security Startup Expense
Tech Build
The upfront tech and security build is $500k in CAPEX, split across $350k for advanced AV and IT and $150k for security systems. Keep recurring items out of this line: software subscriptions run $2,500 per month, and payment fees are modeled at 25% of Year 1 revenue.
What It Covers
This budget covers member management software setup, CRM configuration, website setup, payment processing setup, POS if needed, Wi-Fi, reservation tools, keycard or app access, cameras, and basic cybersecurity. For sizing, use vendor quotes, room count, device count, and install months. The AV and IT work lands from Month 5 to Month 10; security installs from Month 6 to Month 11.
Count doors, cameras, and access points.
Price hardware and install separately.
Keep SaaS out of CAPEX.
How To Control Spend
Lock scope early, because custom AV, access control, and security specs can balloon fast. Get three quotes, standardize hardware, and avoid paying for software features you will not use on day one. The clean rule: buy what opens the club safely, then add upgrades after launch. One line saves a lot of cash.
Bundle installs where possible.
Delay nonessential integrations.
Audit monthly software licenses.
Timing Matters
Plan this spend against buildout milestones, not opening day. If AV, IT, and security slip past the fit-out window, you can end up paying contractors twice and holding staff before the doors open. Here’s the quick math: $500k in CAPEX before launch, then $2,500 a month for software and 25% of Year 1 revenue for payment fees.
Furniture, Fixtures, Equipment, and Amenities Startup Expense
FF&E Scope
This line covers $800k of durable guest-facing assets bought from Month 3 to Month 8: lounge seating, tables, bar fixtures, lockers, décor, lighting, premium millwork, and wellness or recreation gear if offered. Keep consumables and opening inventory out of FF&E. Price it with unit counts, vendor quotes, freight, install, and whether items are purchased, financed, or leased.
Cost Drivers
Start with seating count, event capacity, private rooms, and any wellness offer. Then map each zone and run the math: units × unit price plus delivery and installation. A few large pieces can move the total fast, so lock quotes before design is frozen. Here’s the quick rule: bigger capacity usually means higher FF&E spend.
Count seats by room
Price by vendor quote
Separate install costs
Cost Control
Protect the member feel, but don’t overbuy. Use standard pieces in low-visibility areas, then spend on high-touch items where members notice quality. Leasing can ease cash pressure, but only if monthly payments fit early revenue. Common mistake: buying decor and forgetting wear-and-replace timing. Set the replacement cycle before orders go in.
Lease only if cash stays tight
Mix premium and standard pieces
Plan replacements before opening
Budget Fit
This is a major capex line, not a small finishing cost, so it should sit after site build-out and before pre-opening payroll. If wellness or recreation is part of the concept, include those assets here too. Keep it separate from software, supplies, opening inventory, and launch marketing so the budget stays clean and the opening scope stays real.
Pre-Opening Payroll, Launch Marketing, Inventory, and Readiness Startup Expense
What to book
Classify recruiting, management hiring, front-of-house training, bartender or hospitality ramp-up, chef onboarding, founding member events, branding, PR, local outreach, photography, website content, opening beverage inventory, amenity supplies, and insurance deposits as pre-opening expenses or working capital, not CAPEX. These are launch cash items tied to timing, not permanent assets.
Payroll setup
Build Year 1 labor from the opening timeline, not from build-out assets. The source payroll target is $865k, with a $180k GM, $120k Head of Member Experience, $100k Executive Chef, and 30 hospitality staff FTE at $60k each in the plan. The line swings fast if hiring starts before revenue does.
Launch marketing
The Year 1 marketing budget is $500k, and the stated $2,500 CAC means that spend covers 200 acquisitions if the target cost holds. Use that spend on PR, local outreach, photography, website content, and founding member events, but stage it to opening month so you do not pay for demand before doors open.
Avoid early hires
The hidden risk is hiring too early if the opening slips. Keep recruiting tied to the opening date, buy only the first beverage and amenity stock, and hold insurance deposits and training costs in working capital until the launch schedule is firm. If the opening slips, cash burn rises fast.
Licenses, Permits, Legal, and Compliance Startup Expense
Core filings
This cost covers entity formation, bylaws, membership agreements, zoning review, certificate of occupancy, liquor, health, and music approvals, plus insurance and legal review. It changes by state, city, alcohol service, food service, and membership structure. For a private members club, the budget should start with counsel quotes, filing fees, and permit timing, not a flat guess.
Estimate inputs
Build the estimate from permit count, attorney hours, filing fees, and review time by agency. If alcohol is served, add liquor licensing; if food is served, add health permits; if music plays, add licensing. This also ties to the model because $400k of kitchen and bar equipment and 50% Year 1 food and beverage costs depend on approval to open.
Cut delay risk
Start zoning and certificate of occupancy work early, and match the lease to the intended use before buildout starts. One late permit can push opening, which adds rent burn and staff readiness costs. Keep employment setup and insurance review moving in parallel so hiring, training, and inspections are ready when the doors can open.
Legal timing
For a members-only club, the legal work has to match the operating model. Membership rules, food and alcohol service, and private events all change the approval path, so build the compliance schedule before construction and hiring. The wrong sequence can leave finished space sitting idle while fixed costs keep running.
