Thread: SXSW Thread
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Old Posted Feb 20, 2012, 5:09 AM
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BevoLJ BevoLJ is offline
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Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Austin, TX/London, UK
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I'd like to see a independent, non-partisan study on how many major companies, artist, and entire large sectors of the Austin economy have grown out of it. South by has done far far FAR more good than bad to Austin, and to even for one second think other wise is absolutely absurd.

Music and hospitality- SXSW is our entertainment sector of our economy. The days before digital, and the internet, where SRV or Willy or any musician could just go into the studio and make a record to make a living are gone. Today with out such event like SXSW musicians and all those associated with music can't survive. They have to have shows. The shows and events like SXSW are far more important than they were in the past. Furthermore, there is no shot at getting those two 1,000 room plus convention hotels that are about to break ground, as well as the thousands of construction jobs, plus thousand of permanent jobs that the hotels will have. And that is just those two hotels. Think of the thousands of other jobs from musicians to stage hands to everything else that has been brought to Austin because of South By.

Film, South by is one of the biggest film fest in the world. And it does go a long way to help support our local film industry, and the film school at UT.

Tech, here is the big one. I would love to see a study on how many tech companies have grown out of South by. And not just little ones. Quite a few huge ones with 500+ employees (all very high paying jobs) and IPO's in the $100s of millions. Like HomeAway.

Oh, and if it is really driving you that crazy then take a free vacation. Speaking of HomeAway, do what a lot of my friends do, and what I was going to do until my boss made me stay to help out. Rent out your place on HomeAway and take a vacation fully paid by those who stayed at your place. I know many people who go on cruises and such and make more from renting their house online during SXSW because of the huge demand for places to stay in Austin, than the cruise cost them.

Edit: But most of all, nothing else has done half of what SXSW has done to put Austin on the world stage. SXSW seriously is what introduced Austin to the rest of the world. Before SXSW the only thing anyone outside the US knew about Austin was, "it was the place that crazy guy went to the top of some tower at some university and shot a bunch of people right?" lol
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Last edited by BevoLJ; Feb 20, 2012 at 5:23 AM.
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