VEGAS INC Magazine - Latest Las Vegas business news, features and commentaries about gaming, tourism, real estate and more
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In business downtown travel Startups share offices, skills, ideas virgin america adds three flights to l.a. By Joe Schoenmann staff writer On a tiny slice of street in downtown Las Vegas, in an area south of Charleston Boulevard between Las Vegas Boulevard and Maryland Parkway, startup companies are sharing homes and each other's technical skills. The homes currently number about six, said Fodé, a Senegal-born cinematographer and programmer who co-founded Evasive.com, an advertising startup. "I think what's going to happen is, you'll see the whole block full of startups," said Fodé, who has an office in downtown's Emergency Arts building but also works out of a home with two to three other startups near Eighth Street and Franklin Avenue. Working in the homes is advantageous, he said, because entrepreneurs can bounce ideas off each other. They aren't competing against each other but rather are seeking their own niche in the booming applications arena. Many are startups drawn to Las Vegas by the Vegas Tech Fund, a venture capital group that invests only in tech startups whose business plans include how they will contribute to the downtown community while also making profits. These small collectives are indepen- dent of the Downtown Project or other formalized redevelopment efforts, even though some began their companies living and working out of the Ogden. "People get tired of working where they live," Fodé said. Meanwhile, a company called Work in Progress, funded partly by the Downtown Project, is creating five co-working offices throughout downtown. Zach Ware is one of the company's founders; he is also in charge of preparing City Hall for the migration of more than 1,000 Zappos employees from Henderson in September. The first co-working space will open in February, closer to Fremont East at 317 S. Sixth St. For $50 a month, interested parties can rent communal desks, meeting rooms and tools, including Wi-Fi, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. in any of the Work in Progress offices. For an additional cost, which will vary by space, members will have 24/7 access and rent a particular desk. On his Work in Progress blog, Ware describes the co-working space as a place that "connects people and ideas to spaces and experiences. We build spaces and experiences that help people connect with each other and discover new ways to build amazing things." By Richard N. Velotta senior staff writer California-based Virgin America will become the sixth airline to offer nonstop flights to and from Las Vegas' most popular air destination — Los Angeles International Airport — when it begins offering three daily flights in April. Virgin America, which has an average of eight daily flights from McCarran International Airport to San Francisco and New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport, will add Los Angeles service April 22 using twin-engine, 119-passenger Airbus A319 jets. Las Vegas was an inaugural destination when the airline started operations in 2007 with flights to and from San Francisco. Virgin America plans to initiate the new service with $39 oneway fares, which don't include additional fees and taxes and are subject to blackout dates. A midweek nonrefundable round trip could be purchased for $78. The company charges $25 per bag each way. Flights will leave for Los Angeles at 1:20, 5:05 and 8:50 p.m., with return flights at 11:30 a.m., 3 p.m. and 7:15 p.m. Virgin America is not directly affiliated with Virgin Atlantic, but it partners with Virgin-branded companies. There are an average 32 flights a day between Las Vegas and Los Angeles International, and Virgin America will compete on the route with Southwest Airlines and Delta, United, American and Spirit Airlines. The 12th Annual Nevada Business Hall of Fame T h e 12 t h A n n u a l N e v a d a B u s i n e s s H a l l o f F a m e 2013 Inductees Dinner & Induction Ceremony Thursday, February 7, 2013 Join us as we honor these individuals who have helped chart the course for a for a prosperous and progressive Nevada. presented by UNLV Lee Business School Deloitte & Touche USA LLP production sponsor Meadows Bank leadership sponsors Selma Bartlett Howard Hughes Corp/Summerlin Bank of Nevada Bank of America Thursday, February 7, 2013 6 p.m. Cocktail Reception 7 p.m. Dinner and Hall of Fame Induction $275 per person or $2,500 per table Larry Ruvo Sponsored by Founders' Award LEE BUSINESS SCHOOL 8 20130128_VI08_F.indd 8 Steve Comer Dr. Richard Flaherty Bellagio Hotel & Casino Grand Ballroom 7 3600 Las Vegas Boulevard South To register, please visit netcommunity.unlv.edu/NevadaBusinessHallofFame or contact Anna Drury at Anna.drury@unlv.edu or 702.895.3608 | 28 JANUARY 2013 | 1/24/13 2:36:33 PM