Carson City - Governor Jim Gibbons today expressed anger and disappointment in President Obama’s Administration after evidence surfaced that federal agencies have specifically been told to avoid holding conferences, meetings or conventions in Nevada. A newspaper report in the July 22 edition of the Wall Street Journal cites emails from the FBI and the Department of Agriculture ordering staff to avoid or “black list” resort/gambling cities like Las Vegas or Reno for meetings and conventions.

“I am working hard to get more jobs and more tourists for Nevada to help our economy recover and the Obama Administration seems to be completely unaware of the damage they are causing to Nevada’s economy and the people here,” Governor Gibbons said, “This is an outrageous insult to the working families in Nevada.”

Governor Gibbons tried to meet with President Obama while the President was in Las Vegas for a political fundraiser last May to talk with him about disparaging remarks the President made about Las Vegas. Governor Gibbons wanted the President to help the U.S. and Nevada economies by having the President issue a statement encouraging Americans to vacation in America this Summer. President Obama refused to set aside time to meet with Governor Gibbons. “The policies of the Obama Administration have sentenced Nevada’s economy to the gallows,” Gibbons said, “President Obama came to Las Vegas in May and raised more than a million dollars in campaign cash, then turned around and stabbed us in the back.”

Governor Gibbons is again calling upon Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and the rest of the Nevada Congressional Delegation to use any influence they might have to encourage President Obama to change the policies of his Administration and allow federal agencies to hold conventions and meetings in Nevada. Governor Gibbons believes that if the federal policies change, then the private sector will feel it is appropriate to hold their meetings and conventions in Nevada, as well. Governor Gibbons said, “This President needs to repair the damage he has done.”

The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority reports hundreds of conventions and business meetings scheduled to take place in Las Vegas have cancelled in the last several months. These cancellations have resulted in hundreds of millions of dollars in lost revenue to Las Vegas.

Note: Link to story in Wall Street Journal: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124822843228670879.html