By Kendall Fisher, executive producer at Grow Wire


In short:

  • In 2012, Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh launched the Downtown Project (opens in new tab), a for-profit company aimed at revitalizing Downtown Las Vegas.
  • Hsieh invested millions of his own capital in the project, which has so far created more than 1,500 permanent jobs and generated over $200 million in annual economic output for the area.
  • The pilot episode of "The Grow Wire Show" goes behind the scenes of the enterprise, trailing its success and touring the metropolis it's created.


This episode of "The Grow Wire Show" features a company that’s doing some incredible things in Downtown Las Vegas, with employees who have genuinely found a way into my heart.

The Downtown Project (opens in new tab) is a for-profit company started in 2012 by Tony Hsieh (opens in new tab) with the goal of revitalizing Downtown Las Vegas and growing it into a hub of inspiration, entrepreneurial energy, creativity, innovation, prosperity and discovery.

Hsieh invested $350 million (opens in new tab) of his own money into revitalizing downtown Vegas: $200 million into real estate, $50 million into small businesses, $50 million into education and $50 million into tech startups.

And the outcome? Well, you’ll have to check it out in the video above!

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