The 2014 Trippie nominations have been posted, and Grandissimo (or its author) has been nominated for no less than four Trippies. Here they are, with my commentary
Podcast: The Vegas Gang, of which I am one-third, has been nominated. This is a tough field to run against.
New Thing: Nomination for Grandissimo here. It’s up against Downtown Grand, Life is Beautiful, Project Linq, and Slotzilla.
Here’s what I have to say about the competition. Linq and Slotzilla aren’t open to the public yet, while Grandissimo has been delighting readers since early October. Downtown Grand is nice, but I can guarantee that the paytables on Grandissimo aren’t going to be changing. And unlike Life is Beautiful, Grandissimo isn’t a once-a-year thing. Once you get the book, you can cherish it forever.
News of the Year: More tough competition for Grandissimo here, with some very compelling stories. The book is up against Britney Spears, the Downtown resurgence, the Downtown Grand opening, and the announcement of Resorts World Las Vegas. But if a Kickstarter campaign culminating in a successful book launch isn’t newsworthy, I don’t know what really is.
Person of the Year: This one was a real shock for me. To be nominated alongside a legend like Steve Wynn, an innovator like Derek Stevens, my fellow Emerging Leader Seth Schorr, and Downtown regenerator Tony Hsieh, well, that’s just incredible. Each of those Las Vegans was in the news quite a bit over the year, so just to be up there is a true honor.
Having already won a Trippie back in 2006 when “best book” was a category, I can say that it’s a great honor and a thrill. I’m amazed that I got to peek inside the “Person of the Year” suite with the real high rollers, and I’m hopeful that voters will put Grandissimo on top of the “New Thing” category. Thanks to everyone who nominated me, and of course to Chuck and the Trippers for undertaking what is truly a labor of love.
To vote for the Trippies, go here. Please respect the rules and 1) vote only once and 2) vote for at least 2/3 of the categories—otherwise your vote won’t count.
Thanks!