The basics:

• Vamos Racquets set to launch July 19 at former Novartis campus
• Features padel, pickleball, coworking, wellness amenities
• Club partners with ArenaLife to revitalize office space
• Full expansion to include gym, café and offices by 2026

A club that combines racquet sports, fitness amenities, social areas and coworking access is coming to East Hanover as part of a broader redevelopment of the former Novartis corporate campus.

Scheduled to launch in two phases starting this summer, Vamos Racquets‘ CEO and co-founder Katherine Lynch says the 20,000-square-foot facility seeks to set a new standard for sport, community, and lifestyle at the up-and-coming life sciences and innovation hub.

Racquet sports aficionado, entrepreneur and Madison native Lynch told NJBIZ, “We had this vision where racquet sports could really be at the center of the amenity offering for this corporate campus, plus open for people to buy membership, too. People who want to get out, do something different, stay healthy, have a different place to work.”

The July 19 opening will highlight the club’s:

• Lighted, outdoor courts for padel and pickleball
• Outside areas for gathering, working and exercising
• Health-forward food and coffee trucks
• Event zones for private groups and club-sponsored happenings
• Welcome hut
• Pro shop
• Grab-and-go food; drinks on tap

By the first quarter of 2026, Vamos will unveil dedicated coworking spaces with hot desks and private offices; a full-service café with premium drinks and food; and gym with personal training, classes, locker rooms and other amenities.

Transformation

The opening comes as Morristown-based real estate investment firm New Vernon Equities continues efforts to transform the 20-acre parcel near Route 10 into Arena, a 625,000-square-foot work-play-learn destination. Novartis hasn’t left East Hanover, however. The pharma giant continues to occupy roughly 100 acres in town.

At New Vernon’s property, Vamos will serve as the founding wellness and fitness partner for ArenaLife. The offering is billed as a “wellness and community ecosystem” that aims to “reimagine the workplace experience” on campus.

“Whether stopping by for a match, joining a group workout or unwinding with a smoothie or cold plunge, members will find a seamless, energizing experience rooted in wellness and community,” she said, adding, “Vamos isn’t just a club. It’s a community. We’re thrilled to be partnering with ArenaLife to bring a new kind of movement experience to New Jersey, where sport, wellness and connection all come together in one place.”

Let’s get active-ated

For the concept, Lynch said she teamed up with racquet sports coach Pablo Blasco to develop a vibrant, community-driven space that meets the region’s growing demand for intentional, health-forward spaces.

According to Lynch, Vamos has a few other investors involved. They include Sunrise Padel Capital, a Miami-based investment firm looking to develop and expand padel clubs across North America, and Padel 22, a padel-focused communications company.

Vamos Racquets’ video rendering of the East Hanover club:

“One of the trends that obviously we’ve all experienced since COVID is the changing workforce and the changing way that we all work, as well as the fact that wellness has never been more popular,” she explained. “And, people have never spent more or been more engaged in the wellness world.”

That’s why Lynch believes Vamos is a place that will resonate with many professionals. Because they can blend working, exercising and socializing in one place.

“Lifetime is doing a really good job of this in other regions We have The Connell Co.’s The Park in Berkeley Heights which is doing a good job of this, too,” she said. “But, there’s nothing really racquet-focused in this space at all.”

New use for office park space

Additionally, during the evenings and weekends, the traditional office park property is usually “totally cleared out” and doesn’t have “much action,” Lynch said.

“This is about really using the space in a new and interesting way,” she explained. “As we partnered with New Vernon Equities on this project, they found huge value in having Vamos there because it’s such a differentiated offering compared to any other office space. I don’t think there’s any other office space in the world that has padel and pickleball courts on the campus. And so, as they’re thinking about this and attracting the best tenants for the space, we are really a huge differentiator for them and for the community.”

“At this space specifically, you have the office. But then you also have this escape outside and a lot of other beautiful things … I think people are looking for that flexibility. They’re looking for different things. You’re not going to get someone back to the office that’s just like a white box anymore. You have to have something else,” Lynch said.

Reflecting on the launch of Vamos, she described it as a fun journey.

“It really is marrying my passions of racquet sports and sports & wellness with building companies,” she said. “I truly love what I do and I feel so lucky that the 15 years I had before this set me up for being able to do this now.”

One of the trends that obviously we’ve all experienced since COVID is the changing workforce and the changing way that we all work …
– Katherine Lynch, Vamos Racquets CEO and co-founder

Combining passions

After graduating from Harvard University, Lynch spent six years in the U.S. Navy stationed in such as locations as San Diego, Singapore and Washington, D.C.

“Those were formative years of leadership and management and figuring out how to operate in stressful situations, which are actually really good qualities to have when you’re building startups, too,” she explained. “And then quickly after the Navy, I started my startup career and worked at a health care company called Oscar Health. We were one of the first consumer-focused health insurance companies. I led large operational teams there, both onshore and overseas. And eventually we took the company public in early 2021.

“And then after that, I co-founded a health and wellness credit card, Ness,” Lynch continued. “Which was basically a rewards card similar to an Amex platinum. But, instead of travel and dining it focused on health and wellness. So, anything from getting free massages to a new pair of running shoes, to trying out new supplements, all of those things. We unfortunately had to shut down about 18 months ago, but I still have the startup bug and saw padel really emerging in the U.S. but nothing really popping up in New Jersey yet.”

“I was talking to a buddy who is from Spain and now my co-founder, Pablo, about why isn’t it here yet? What if we brought if to New Jersey?” she recalled. “That kind of started Vamos almost 18 months ago and I’ve been working on Vamos since then, as well as consulting for a few other small business and startups in the health, wellness and sports world.”

Accessible sport

A cross between tennis and squash, padel is played in doubles on smaller, glass-walled courts. After originating in Mexico during the 1960s, padel was later brought to Spain. It’s now the second most-played sport behind soccer in that country.

Known for being easy, simple and fun, padel is an accessible game for players of all ages and abilities. Shakira, Enrique Iglesias, Lionel Messi, Andre Agassi, David Beckham, Gerard Butler, Serena Williams and Antonio Banderas are just a few of the well-known celebrities who frequently play the sport.

Lynch described it as a “combination between tennis, squash and racquetball.” Padel, however, is a “much more forgiving sport,” because the walls around the court keeps the ball in play longer, she said.

“In tennis where if you’re a beginner or intermediate and you’re missing the ball or hitting it out, you spend half your time chasing after the ball to try to get it to serve again,” she said. “In padel, the points can go on much longer.”

“Also, since you are on turf, it’s much better on your joints. As someone who just had knee surgery, that’s very attractive to me,” she explained. “And I would say it’s about the same in terms of picking it up as pickleball … you can easily step on the court and feel like you’re having fun hitting the ball. But, just like pickleball, it’s hard to master.”

The ‘great equalizer’

Over the past five years, padel has swept across Europe, Latin America and the Middle East. It’s also gaining traction in the U.S., in states like New York, Florida, Texas and California.

Within New Jersey, the list of places to play includes And Padel in Oakland, Centercourt Club & Sports in Morristown and Padel United Sports Club in Cresskill.

Like Vamos, Padel United Sports Club includes other amenities besides padel. In addition to a café and retail shop, the space has an 8,000-square-foot wellness and recovery area.

Padel’s arrival in New Jersey comes as the state continues to see a steady stream of pickleball club openings.

Lynch said, “I truly believe that racquet sports are such a great equalizer. They’re so good to stay happy, healthy and connected…It’s not just about the hour that you spend on a pickleball or padel court. It’s about giving yourself more energy, feeling empowered, feeling proud of yourself and meeting someone. All those things I feel like sports and specifically racquet sports have given me. I’m excited for other people to experience, too.”

Editor’s note: This story was updated at 10:41 a.m. ET on June 30, 2025, to correct the spelling of Sunrise Padel Capital and Padel 22.