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Eric Schmidt attended a ‘Burning Man for the 1%’ desert party with ‘unabashed luxury’

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Alphabet executive chairman Eric Schmidt recently attended what many call “Burning Man for the 1%” with a handful of fellow tech and entrepreneur colleagues (via The Guardian). The festival is called Further Future and covers 49 acres of land right outside of Las Vegas. While Burning Man hides its lavishness, Further Future touts that it offers “unabashed luxury.”

Tickets to attend Further Future start at $350, but prices quickly rise from there thanks to options for fine dining and private stuff accommodation. Around 5,000 people attended Further Future last week, including Eric Schmidt, Clear Channel CEO Bob Pittman, and top Facebook executive Stan Chudnovsky.

As for why he attended the lavish festival, Schmidt explained that the decision was driven primarily by the fact that many of his friends would be there, saying it was the “cream of the Burning Man crop.”

“It’s well documented that I go to Burning Man. The future’s driven by people with an alternative world view. You never know where you’ll find ideas. This is a high percentage of San Francisco entrepreneurs, and they tend to be winners. It’s a curated, self-selected group of adults who have jobs. You can tell by the percentage of trailers.”

In typical Eric Schmidt-fashion, the Alphabet executive’s outfit was rather outlandish. Schmidt donned an ornate top hat paired with a vest made of mirrors. Highlighting the lavishness of Future Festival mixed with the unique style of Burning Man.

VIP access was restricted only by a chain link fix and started at $5,000. For $7,500, you could get a custom-made luxury domes with wooden flooring that were furnished to sleep four, as well as a  “a personal, dedicated lifestyle manager and assistant ready to help you with any requirements or desires you may have from the green juice you enjoy every morning to the old-fashioned cocktail you sip on in the evenings”

Schmidt’s birthday happened to be a few days before Further Future and everyone there sang Happy Birthday to him and enjoyed a slice of birthday cake with their lavish dinner.

If this isn’t peak Eric Schmidt, then I really don’t know what is.

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Avatar for Chance Miller Chance Miller

Email: Chance@9to5mac.com

Chance currently writes for both 9to5Google and 9to5Mac, in addition to 9to5Toys.