This sponsored post is produced by SXSW V2V.
In the spirit of VentureBeat’s week-long series on the Las Vegas Downtown Project, SXSW V2V would like to join the conversation and share why we decided to join the community.
SXSW V2V offers startups, innovators, and entrepreneurs from across all creative industries a space to learn the skills, make the connections, and find the inspiration to take their ideas and talents to the next level.
On a philosophical level, we chose Las Vegas because of the city’s uncanny ability to turn potential into reality matches our own. Fifty years ago, who would have thought that this small desert locale could bloom to become one of the world’s most exciting entertainment destinations? Similarly, 25 years ago, who could have imagined that a regional music conference based in a sleepy college town in Texas would go on to become an international powerhouse for discovering the next big thing? The pairing of these two overachieving entities seems like a win-win combination.
On a practical level, we also like Las Vegas because it offers lots of long-term growth potential. To be clear, SXSW V2V will start as a relatively small and intimate event — and this is a good thing. For 2013, we expect about 1,500 total attendees at SXSW V2V (as compared to the 30,000 registrants for the 2013 SXSW Interactive Festival). As with the slow growth of our March events in Austin, we think starting relatively small and increasing size organically will lead to long-term strength and stability. Few cities in the world have the kind of infrastructure Las Vegas does to support this long-term growth.
Another important factor in our decision is the ongoing work of the Downtown Project. Spearheaded by Tony Hsieh of Zappos (who will keynote SXSW V2V on Monday, Aug. 12), this massive effort to rebuild downtown Las Vegas into a community that is rich with artists, innovators, entrepreneurs, and startups has generated significant buzz. Hsieh often talks about serendipitous encounters when explaining his vision for the Downtown Project. These serendipitous encounters are what we specialize in at SXSW in Austin — so, all the more reason for us to extend our brand to the desert.
Register now to be part of the first-ever SXSW V2V event and experience the magic of one of America’s most exciting events in one of the nation’s most exciting cities. For group rate information on SXSW V2V, contact us at this address.
Photo credit: Adrian Romero
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