![The Queen Of Versailles Press Event](https://imageio.forbes.com/specials-images/imageserve/690640bb4bc358a286b32a67/-The-Queen-Of-Versailles--Press-Event/0x0.jpg?format=jpg&width=480)
*F. Murray Abraham and Kristin Chenoweth pose at a photo call for the upcoming Broadway musical "The Queen of Versailles" at The Waldorf Astoria Hotel on September 18, 2025 in New York City. (Photo by Bruce Glikas/Getty Images)*

The Broadway opening of the musical **"The Queen of Versailles"** offers a fresh chance to explore one of the most **unusual business stories** from the early 2000s, moving beyond common critiques to uncover deeper entrepreneurial themes.

Based on the 2012 documentary, this story centers on **David Siegel**, founder of **Westgate Resorts**—the world's largest timeshare company—and his wife **Jackie**, as they ambitiously build a 90,000-square-foot replica of the Palace of Versailles in Orlando, Florida. While often labeled as a tale of **excess and greed**, it also highlights resilience, innovation, and community impact.

## David's Drive to Save Westgate Resorts

David started his first real estate firm, **Central Florida Investments**, in his garage in 1970. Spotting an opportunity in the **timeshare market**, he launched Westgate Vacation Villas in Orlando in 1982. Over decades, it grew into a global empire with 14 resorts, employing over **3,500 people** and becoming a key employer in Florida.

In 2008, the **financial crisis** hit hard: banks called in loans, forcing layoffs and cutbacks. At 73, David refused to give up, selling assets like their private plane and working tirelessly to secure new financing. His efforts paid off, reviving Westgate as the economy recovered—a testament to **entrepreneurial perseverance** often overlooked in media portrayals.

## Jackie's Ventures and the Versailles Project

Jackie, a former Mrs. Florida with a degree in **computer engineering** from Rochester Institute of Technology and early work at IBM, is more than a shopaholic. She founded **Ocoee Thrift Mart**, a discount store, the charity **Locals Helping Locals**, and **Victoria's Voice** after her daughter's death from a drug overdose, focusing on substance abuse prevention.

Her main endeavor, building Versailles, was an artistic pursuit with meticulous details—from coordinating wallpaper colors with birdcages to selecting gold leaf and paintings. Though criticized, this project could evolve into public use, sharing her vision and investments broadly.

## Wealth, Generosity, and Dr. Johnson's Insight

Critics like those in *The New York Times* frame the Siegels as symbols of materialism, but this ignores their **community contributions** and the **economic benefits** of their ventures. Referencing Dr. Samuel Johnson's view that "there are few ways in which a man can be more innocently employed than in getting money," the Siegels' wealth creation supported jobs and local economies without imposing personal values on others.

The musical, starring **Kristin Chenoweth** and **F. Murray Abraham** with music by Stephen Schwartz, invites audiences to enjoy the story without politicization, celebrating the complexities of ambition and resilience.

The opening of "The Queen of Versailles" on Broadway this week is an opportunity to reconsider one of the most colorful and unusual business stories of the early 2000s.

Unveiling the Untold Entrepreneurial Grit Behind 'The Queen of Versailles'

## The AI Revolution in Marketing

For marketers, SEO specialists, and journalists, the traditional rules of winning traffic from **Google** are collapsing. The rise of **chatbots** and large language models (LLMs) has created a new black box, leaving many scrambling for solutions. While numerous tools can highlight poor performance in platforms like ChatGPT or Anthropic searches, few offer actionable advice on how to improve and thrive in this new landscape.

## AirOps: A Beacon of Hope

Enter **AirOps**, a startup based in New York and San Francisco, which aims to bridge this gap. Recently, the company secured a **$40 million Series B funding round** led by **Greylock**, catapulting its valuation to **$225 million**. This investment is a testament to the growing need for tools that help marketers adapt to the AI-driven era.

Mike Duboe, a partner at Greylock, emphasized the urgency: "The shift in discovery and consideration from traditional search to LLMs is a hair-on-fire problem for CMOs. The entire marketing industry is having to re-learn how to influence organic growth."

## From Data Access to AI-Driven Marketing

Founded in early 2022 by CEO **Alex Halliday**, AirOps initially focused on helping non-technical employees access company data. Halliday, who previously led product at startups like Teespring and MasterClass, pivoted the company toward AI as LLMs became more accessible. Marketers quickly emerged as key users, leveraging AirOps to create and refresh content in innovative ways.

## How AirOps Works

At its core, AirOps enables marketers to **analyze and track all public information** related to their companies—from blog posts and customer testimonials to Reddit discussions and news articles. The goal is to keep this content fresh and relevant. Clients such as **Monday.com**, **Webflow**, and **Ramp** rely on AirOps to navigate the complexities of modern marketing.

The workflow, though complex and reminiscent of advanced SaaS tools, underscores a fundamental shift: marketers are no longer just recyclers of existing content. Halliday explains that in the SEO era, growth was driven by repackaging old ideas. Now, **AI agents crave novel data and unique opinions**, forcing marketers to generate original, high-quality content.

## The Future of Content Creation

This shift presents both challenges and opportunities. On one hand, there's the risk of AI-generated "slop" and the potential demise of traditional media. On the other, Halliday envisions a "**golden age of quality content**," where AI rewards brands and publications that provide the best information. AirOps is designed not to churn out low-quality content but to help marketers "add to the conversation" with data-rich, unique insights.

For media outlets like *Fortune*, this new landscape means that **domain authority and quality journalism** are more critical than ever. While the business models for marketers and news organizations remain uncertain, the emphasis on originality and value is clear.

## Looking Ahead

As AI continues to reshape marketing, tools like AirOps will play a pivotal role in helping businesses stay ahead. The journey is just beginning, and the stakes are high for everyone involved.

Why Greylock is taking a bet on the future of SEO.

How AirOps Is Revolutionizing Marketing with AI: A $40M Bet on the Future of SEO

## Construction Paused on Great Bend Innovation Center

Great Bend Economic Development has announced a temporary pause in construction on the **Great Bend Innovation Center** after completing phase one. The organization is actively working to close the remaining funding gap to finish phase two.

This **multi-million dollar project** aims to serve as a central hub for **entrepreneurship**, **workforce development**, and innovation in central Kansas. Funding has been sourced from a mix of state and federal grants, private contributions, and local investments. However, the project faced setbacks when several expected grant sources did not materialize due to federal policy changes in early 2025, which redirected or reduced available funding. These challenges were worsened by a recent government shutdown that closed remaining federal grant programs for the year.

In response, the organization has implemented significant **cost-saving measures** to preserve progress. Jason Kuilan, Executive Director of Great Bend Economic Development, stated, "We've been diligent in scaling back and implementing cost-saving measures to stretch every dollar." This included modifying building designs, reducing equipment investments in the innovation kitchen, and adjusting the fabrication lab's initial investment requirements. Despite these efforts, savings were insufficient to offset the funding shortfall caused by unexpected federal program cuts, private contributions falling through, and increased construction costs from tariffs.

Despite the pause, Great Bend Economic Development remains financially stable and operates at full capacity. Day-to-day operations are partially supported by the City of Great Bend, but the Innovation Center is funded entirely through external sources like grants and private investments. The immediate focus is on securing additional funding through trusted channels to avoid burdening local taxpayers.

Kuilan highlighted that multiple **funding pipelines** are in progress, including proceeds from a real estate sale and a sizable grant that has already been awarded. The Innovation Center is seen as a cornerstone investment for the region, expected to drive **job creation**, skills training, and economic growth for decades. Once completed, it will provide a collaborative space for innovators, businesses, and educators to strengthen the local economy in Barton County.

Kuilan expressed confidence that construction will resume once funding is secured, emphasizing the community's unwavering vision for innovation and opportunity. He added, "This project represents the very best of Great Bend's spirit, collaboration, innovation, and perseverance."

## About Great Bend Economic Development

Great Bend Economic Development is dedicated to fostering long-term economic health and quality of life for the community's working families. Their efforts focus on job creation through business retention, recruitment, and expansion; workforce strengthening via recruitment, education, and training; improving living wage jobs; and expanding the tax base through increased capital investments.

Great Bend Economic Development announced today that after completing
phase one of construction on the Great Bend Innovation Center, further construction will
temporarily pause as the organization works to close the remaining funding gap to finish phase two.

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