Vegas reflects anti-French sentiment

Matt Wells In Las Vegas, Nevada

The Bush administration is making clear that it wants France to suffer for its anti-war stance, mirroring the mood of many American tourists and gamblers in the streets here.

Visitors spent £32bn in Las Vegas last year

Earlier this week, Secretary of State Colin Powell was emphatic when asked if the French would "suffer consequences" for their actions. "Yes," he replied curtly.

The anger against France in particular, and some other "anti-war" nations like Germany, shows no sign of abating.

Along Las Vegas's famous "strip", where some of the world's most opulent hotels can be found - such as Caesar's Palace, and the Bellagio - it is impossible to miss the soaring reproduction of the Eiffel Tower, which marks out the centrepiece of the Paris Hotel.

Until recently, owners Park Place Entertainment proudly hung the French flag outside. But no longer.

"People are fairly sophisticated, they understand that this is an American casino, generally catering to American guests... We did take down the French flag due to the sensitivity of the feelings of folks. That was on our own initiative," senior vice president Robert Stewart told me.

Leonard Bukofsky wants Nevada to scrap a bus contract with France

Las Vegas cannot afford to ignore the sensitivities of its high-spending but notoriously fickle patrons, but Mr Stewart was adamant that they had not suffered the effects of a boycott.

"We haven't reported results for the first quarter yet... I can safely say we don't believe that that issue has affected our business," he said.

Further down the strip, I meet up with two men who are pressing their city to go much further than a simple boycott of wine or cheese.

Leonard Bukofsky and Gerald Ernst serve on the Older Americans with Disabilities Advisory Committee, which feeds into southern Nevada's Regional Transportation Commission.

We do a lot for the world economy. We should expect our friends to stand by us

Tom Nugent of JCM American

They are demanding that a contract to supply 10 French-assembled buses worth millions of dollars be scrapped. The RTC is refusing to budge for now, saying it will cost them $17m in losses. But the campaigners say they will go to court if necessary.

"If purchases are made from France, which is trying to start a coalition that's anti-American - having summit meetings with Germany, and Russia, with France taking the lead - we cannot use our tax dollars to pay for products from there," said Mr Bukofsky.

Money talks in Las Vegas, like almost nowhere else, and when you consider that 35 million visitors to the city's casinos and convention centres spent $32bn between them last year, that's no surprise.

Global economy

But it's not all about American-run capital. Although only one in five visitors is a foreigner, many of the local businesses are plugged straight in to the global economy.

Tom Nugent is vice president for JCM American, which is the global market leader in the technology for machines that exchange coins for notes. Thousands of the city's slot machines rely on it, and although its US headquarters are in Las Vegas, it is Japanese owned.

As a resort destination, we can't afford to alienate any group and we welcome everybody

Rob Powers, Convention of Visitors Authority

"International trade is very important. Las Vegas is an event unto itself, not replicated anywhere else. People come from all over the world... It's very important for people to feel comfortable here, or products like ours aren't going to be moving," said Mr Nugent.

But despite that, he says he understands native resentment towards the French and German governments: "It's time for America to stand up for itself. We do a lot for the world economy. We should expect our friends to stand by us. In this case they haven't."

Key markets

Not everyone here feels the same anger at the diplomatic decision to disagree. Rob Powers represents the Las Vegas Convention of Visitors Authority. His basic job is to fill hotel rooms on the city's behalf.

"As a resort destination, we really can't afford to alienate any certain group, and we welcome everybody. What is going on now is a temporary situation," he said.

"The fact remains that for us the European market in general - and specifically the French and German markets - are very important to us. We have offices that represent Las Vegas in Munich, and Paris."

As the diplomatic temperature continues to cool post-war, it's hard to imagine any city in America - let alone one that benefits so heavily from foreign cash - seriously rejecting investment from "old Europe".

Unless that is, principle triumphs over profit - an event which cynics would suggest, is rare in American history.