The shy yet vivacious entrepreneur is leaving his mark on the Las Vegas tech scene. Hsieh moved Zappos to the city in 2004, but the company recently signed a 15-year lease on a new home base in Las Vegas’ old city hall. This multimillion-dollar move is hoped to be a catalyst for economic development in downtown Vegas.
But perhaps Hsieh’s biggest gamble is his investment in the city’s Downtown Project, a five-year $350 million revitalization initiative — $50 million of which is allocated to tech startups through the VegasTechFund. The aim of the Downtown Project is to create the co-working capital of the world, which proponents say will spark innovative partnerships and drive economic activity.
In his spare time, Hsieh kicked off a book tour for Delivering Happiness, which details his life as an entrepreneur, traveling cross country in a party bus. They say what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, but some things just can’t be contained.
Photo courtesy of Wikipedia
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