Las Vegas startup acquires former NBA and reality TV star’s company

A Las Vegas-based startup focused on senior housing acquired a similar company started by former NBA and reality TV star Lamar Odom before it launches its operations next year.

ZNest.com is trying to build an online platform dubbed the “Zillow for senior housing” that allows people to search for living facilities for senior relatives, said CEO Bennett Kim, a Las Vegas resident. ZNest.com announced it acquired Odom Senior Care, which was started by Odom, since both companies had similar missions.

“Both organizations strive to provide transparency in the opaque world of senior living, aiming to connect families with senior living facilities that fit their personal needs,” Kim said in a statement.

As a part of the acquisition, Odom will serve as ZNest.com’s chief creative officer.

“We have the same goals, so it just made sense for us to work together,” Odom said in a statement.

TMZ reported in July that Odom started his senior care company this year and he was inspired to do so by his 96-year-old grandmother.

ZNest.com has been under development for the past year, Kim said,

The facilities that will be first listed on ZNest.com will be for independent living, assisted living and memory care. The company is set to launch its consumer-facing website across the nation in January.

ZNest.com won’t charge people looking for senior housing facilities to use the platform but will charge housing operators to list on the website. Kim estimates the industry of helping find facilities for seniors to live is over $1 billion.

Initially, the appeal of getting Odom involved in ZNest.com was his reputation, Kim said.

“He would have a crossover appeal to the general public because men know him, a lot of men know him because of sports, and a lot of women know him because of reality TV,” he said.

Odom played in the NBA for 15 years and appeared in episodes of the popular reality TV show “Keeping Up With the Kardashians” because of his relationship with Khloe Kardashian. The couple had their own reality TV show “Khloe and Lamar” for two seasons. He also gained notoriety for being found unconscious at a brothel in Nye County in 2015.

Outside of celebrity appeal, Kim said Odom has brought in interest from more investors and senior housing operators to engage with ZNest.com.

The financial terms of the acquisition weren’t disclosed.

Contact Sean Hemmersmeier at shemmersmeier@reviewjournal.com. Follow @seanhemmers34 on X.