Tony Hsieh, retired Zappos CEO, dies at 46 after house fire - New Haven Register

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Tony Hsieh, the retired CEO of Las Vegas-based online shoe retailer Zappos.com, who spent years working to transform the city's downtown area, has died.

Zappos was sold to Amazon for $1.2 billion in 2009, but Hsieh had remained with the company until his retirement.

For years, Hsieh also worked to revitalize downtown Las Vegas, pledging $350 million in 2013 for redevelopment.

“Tony Hsieh played a pivotal role in helping transform Downtown Las Vegas,” Nevada Gov.

“Tony Hsieh might be the most original thinker I’ve ever been friends with,” former venture investor Chris Sacca tweeted.

Skateboarder and entrepreneur Tony Hawk added, “Tony Hsieh was a visionary

In a tweet Saturday, Partovi said Hsieh was one of the most creative people he had ever known