Despite doubters, Chinese museum backers have made great strides

It's far too early for the backers of a proposed Chinese Worker's Museum in Carson City to say "I told you so," to those who are openly skeptical that the $50 million project can come to fruition here.

But it's impressive how far they've come, including the ceremony Wednesday with representatives of the Chinese government. The planners of the museum have a lot of enthusiasm, a good plan and plenty of moral support. They also have $50,000 from the State Legislature for planning purposes.

The task now will be to translate all that goodwill into financial support from both Chinese and American corporate sources. And if the Chinese government is looking to build goodwill following the fiasco over the unsafe products it's been shipping to America, what better way than to make an investment in the museum?

The odds remain long, but the benefits to Carson City would likely be tremendous. When combined with the V&T Railroad, downtown revitalization efforts and other attractions, it could draw many thousands of tourists to the region.

Beyond the financial benefits, the project would pay homage to the Chinese immigrants who toiled here for decades, building much of the infrastructure that helped the West prosper. And maybe, as Chinese Consul General Peng Keyu said on Wednesday, it can even bring the U.S. and China closer together.