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What Will It Take For Life Is Beautiful To Succeed?

Attendee at Life is Beautiful poses in front of furry wall.
Associated Press

Attendee at Life is Beautiful poses in front of furry wall. 

Life is Beautiful returns to downtown Las Vegas for its fourth year September 23rd to 25th, with headliners Mumford & Sons, J. Cole, Major Lazer and the Lumineers.

And though the festival’s big acts mirror many of those at Lollapalooza in Chicago, it’s still not firmly established.

What will it take for Life is Beautiful to succeed?

"I think this year is a pivotal year," Scott Roeben, who writes the blog Vital Vegas, told KNPR's State of Nevada. "There were rumblings that the festival might not be back based on the financial situation ... I think the lineup is reflection of a serious commitment of at least breaking even."

Roeben said the lineup doesn't contain any huge headliners like the festival had in years past, which will help keep costs down.

The Las Vegas Review-Journal reported that the festival lost $10 million during its first three years, but Roeben said it is getting better. But he is expecting more cost cutting measures, including less of the food, art and education elements of the festival.

"Those things are kind of like value added," Roeben said, "But I don't know that they add to the bottom line."

Roeben said about 104,000 attended last year and that's about what is expected this year with an estimated two-thirds being locals. 

"They're relying on the good will toward the brand that they've built up and they have built up a good brand but I think they're really going for that core music festival audience," he said.

Ticket prices for the three-day pass and the VIP experience have gone up and Roeben believes it is all part of the effort to get the festival to at least break even.

Scott Roeben, founder and editor, VitalVegas.com

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Kristy Totten is a producer at KNPR's State of Nevada. Previously she was a staff writer at Las Vegas Weekly, and has covered technology, education and economic development for the Las Vegas Review-Journal. She's a graduate of the Missouri School of Journalism.