UNLV launches $1 million competition to make tourism industries safer
LAS VEGAS (KSNV) — In a post-COVID-19 world, people are going to be far more worried about keeping safe from viruses and other pathogens.
That concern will probably hurt tourist destinations like Las Vegas, which is why UNLV's Lee Business School is offering a total of $1 million to entrepreneurs who can figure out how to ease those concerns.
The competition, which will be taking submissions from around the world, hopes to find ways that will make hospitality, entertainment, or travel industries safer for both guests and employees.
“If Las Vegas is the world leader in hospitality and entertainment, then it must lead now in identifying the best practices and products to safely chart the way forward for guests and employees in the travel and hospitality industries,” said Greg Lee CEO of Eureka Casinos in a “When the time is right, we must give the customer confidence that it is safe and desirable to travel again, dine again, stay again, and play again.”
RELATED | Masks, separated slots, more cleaning once casinos reopen
The competition, called the Lee School Prize for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, is open to both companies and individuals. It will be judged by industry experts, along with deans from UNLV Lee Business School and the UNLV Colleges of Sciences, Engineering, and Hospitality.
The prize money will be used as investments to bring the proposed products to the market. Products are expected to be available within 12 months to assure both employees and guests will remain confident in the industry.
“Our world has been given a great challenge," said Eureka Casinos COO Andre Carrier. "It's time for innovators, industry, and entrepreneurs to respond urgently, answer the bell, and deliver the "eureka" moments that will invariably lay the bedrock for the new path forward."
The competition will last until July 5. For more information on the competition, visit LeePrize.com
