Biting off the downtown apple

By Sean Rogers, Henderson

Sunday, Oct. 19, 2014 | 2:01 a.m.

Tony Hsieh. The revolutionary who was supposed to change downtown. The man who made me believe he could change the tech scene in Las Vegas. He promised changes that would revitalize a long-forgotten area of Las Vegas. I was ready to get a big T.H. tattoo on myself to show my unwavering support of Mr. Hsieh.

Flash forward a couple of years, and now we are looking at the potential downfall of his project.

Mr. Hsieh, I commend you for trying to create a playground for employees. There is just the fact of reality that you have to deal with. You bit off not just a little too much, but you tried to eat the whole apple in one bite.

The work campus you imagined up, or wished to achieve eventually, just wasn’t plausible with the expendable income available. You convinced many employees, locals and entrepreneurs from around the country to believe in you, and you failed us.

The saddest part was the submissive rollover you performed, instead of showing us you truly believed in the Downtown Project and fighting until the end.