Our History
DTP Companies, formerly Downtown Project, was founded by Tony Hsieh in January 2012 with an initial $350 million investment aimed at accelerating the revitalization of the Fremont East Entertainment District and its surrounding area in Downtown Las Vegas; through investments in Real Estate, Small Businesses, Tech, and Education, Arts, and Culture.
Our early foundation began with the idea of relocating the Zappos campus to Downtown Las Vegas and the opportunity to transform the area into an urban core; creating a walkable community with a sense of discovery. Inspiration was drawn from Edward Glaesar’s Triumph of the City, a deep dive into why some cities thrive and others do not.
DTP’s primary goals are to help make Fremont East…
- A place where you have everything you need to live, work, and play within walking distance.
- The most community focused large city in the world.
- Become a co-learning and co-working destination.
Our guiding principles are The Three C’s: Collisions, Co-learning, and Connectedness.
- Collisions are unexpected, serendipitous interactions caused by people being in the neighborhood in a public or semi-public way; for ex. restaurants, bars, cafes, or sidewalks.
- Co-learning is people within a neighborhood learning from each other as well as those who visit through traditional mentorship, classes, talks, workshops, etc.
- Connectedness is the number and depth of connections and relationships between people in a neighborhood.
Real Estate
The largest investment was devoted to real estate and development. We’ve acquired 45 acres in and around the Fremont East Entertainment District. These activations include food & beverage venues, hotels, outdoor retail, residential & commercial buildings, parking lots, and future development opportunities.
Small Business
We’ve invested into owner/operated businesses that contribute to the neighborhood through promoting collisions and the gathering of people. Business owners are entrepreneurial minded who are passionate about their craft and prioritize the success of the community over their own business.
Tech Startups
Our tech investment fund was aimed at creating a tech scene which attracts other startups to relocate to Downtown Las Vegas. What makes relocating so appealing to tech companies is the perspective of this being a city as a startup; a once in a lifetime opportunity to help shape the future of a city.
Education, Arts, Culture
We’ve also invested in education, arts, and music aimed at the beautification of Downtown Las Vegas. First Friday is a monthly festival featuring local artists, makers, musicians, and food trucks. Life Is Beautiful is an annual 3-day music, culinary, and art festival featuring large scale murals that remain year around. We’ve also brought large scale art, similar to what you find at Burning Man, to encourage people to continue walking “just one more block”.
Our Future
As time went on, we sharpened our focus on Fremont East becoming a walkable community with everything you need to live, work, and play.
Growing the density of locals and tourists is a driving force behind our development efforts; including hospitality destinations, multi-family residential, office/retail, and tourist attractions.
Our hospitality portfolio is centered around the development of iconic brands. These aren’t your cookie cutter chain concepts; they are thoughtfully curated destinations that are known for their wow experiences. Our portfolio includes a mix of owned and operated restaurants, bars, nightlife, hotel, and retail venues.
The real estate portfolio is comprised of approximately 700 residential units and 85 commercial tenants spread across numerous properties. Most importantly, we still have nearly 50% of the portfolio available as a development opportunity. We are strategically aligning ourselves with partners who share our vision to accelerate the growth and expansion.
One of these partnerships is with the City of Las Vegas on phase 1 of Project Enchilada. This is a collaborative concept to improve streetscapes, open space, retail development, and the overall enhancement of downtown areas. The widening of sidewalks, new and increased lighting, added green scape, upgraded business facades, and the restoration of nostalgic neon signs all bring life, energy, and vibrancy to Fremont East.
Our culture and our values remain embedded in all that we do. It is our goal that every project incorporates an element of First, Unique, or Best. These unique, ever-changing experiences that layer on different elements of surprise creates a sense of discovery leading to return visitation.
Tony always believed a great brand is a story that never stops unfolding. Our story is just beginning, and we’re excited to see what comes next.
