Zappos CEO and urban innovator Tony Hsieh (pronounced Shay) spoke in Santa Fe September 3 on the Downtown Project – his inspiring $350 million effort to revitalize downtown Las Vegas, Nevada He was joined by SFI Distinguished Professor Geoffrey West. After Hsieh's talk, the two discussed what science tells us about cities and urban growth and the implications for the City of Santa Fe.
The talk, tilted "City as Startup," was sponsored by the Santa Fe Institute, St. John’s College, and Creative Santa Fe.
Watch Hsieh's talk and discussion with Geoffrey West (116 minutes, September 3, 2014)
Read the article in the Santa Fe New Mexican (August 31, 2014)
Hear Geoffrey West's interview on KVSF's The Julia Goldberg Show (August 29, 2014)
Hear Geoffrey West's interview on KVSF's The Richard Eeds Show (September 2, 2014)
In 2011, Tony Hsieh announced an ambitious five-year, $350 million effort called the Downtown Project committed to rejuvenating Las Vegas' decaying, increasingly lifeless downtown. Using his personal fortune, Hsieh has invested in real estate, a tech fund, small businesses, and education to transform this area into a thriving, vibrant, connected urban core. Hsieh will discuss the Downtown Project and its successes and challenges and what Santa Fe might learn from this extraordinary urban experiment.
Here’s what the event’s supporters say about Hsieh’s talk:
Santa Fe Mayor Javier Gonzales: “So much of Santa Fe’s promise lies in entrepreneurship, innovation, and community building. This is the perfect moment for our community to be motivated and inspired by Tony Hsieh’s Downtown Project.”
Cyndi Conn, Executive Director of Creative Santa Fe: “We are thrilled to host Tony Hsieh in Santa Fe. Our city is at a critical juncture as we explore ways to build a community that can thrive, prosper, and attract dynamic younger residents and tourists.”
Victoria Mora, Vice President of St. John’s College: “What could be more inspiring to young people who still believe in big ideas than to see, through Hsieh’s visionary example, the ways they can transform the world and the places they inhabit?”