Goodbye, Beijing

The Nevada Tourism Bureau in Beijing is shutting down after 11 years of operation because of friction between the foreign operator of the office and the state, according to state officials.

Some reports said the shutdown is only temporary, but the Nevada Board of Examiners approved $52,062 to be used just in closing the office.

The Beijinger reported, “The office was opened in Beijing in part to try to maintain Las Vegas' appeal to Chinese travelers and gamblers, with closer options including Macau which expanded its licensing scheme in 2004, and Singapore which legalized gambling in 2005. Macau overtook Las Vegas as the world's gambling capital in 2007. The Special Administrative Region generated USD 44 billion in gaming revenue in 2014—and that was during its first year-on-year drop in gambling growth since 2004. Las Vegas could boost its image with Chinese travelers, many of whom are now eligible for the recent streamlined, 10-year U.S. visa, and among those wishing to avoid the government scrutiny that an appearance in a Macau casino might generate.”