Jackson Hole…China
China may be the hot marketplace in this global world we live in, but let’s face it: there are some things that the good ol’ USA will always have the patent on.
Top of my list: freedom, a spirit of adventure, and a rugged outdoors way of having fun that we, here in Wyoming, do so well.
So, no surprise that China wanted the best of the West for themselves. In the typical massive, dramatic, pell-mell way that China is developing these days, they built themselves a city called Jackson Hole.
That’s right. Two hours outside of Beijing, wedged between the Taihang and Yan mountain ranges (not quite the Tetons, but who cares!), China has re-interpreted our fair town right down to the wooden boardwalks, stone chimneys, errant whiskey barrels, teepees, and a hotel called “John Wayne Castle” (??). One can even visit “Teton Village” and pan for gold. It is the Jackson of the Far East, expressed in the vernacular of spaghetti Westerns (with a bit of help translating into 21st Century reality from an architect from Portland, Oregon).
Foreign Policy magazine showcased the thriving new vacation town just a few weeks ago. Clearly, the waitstaff at the local restaurant pictured need a little instruction on how to wear their cowboy hats!
I wonder…can the food compare to Eddie Kolsky’s, master of Chinese cuisine, in Jackson Hole, Wyoming?
Let’s all go for a visit and find out for sure!
Love, Betsy
Wild, Wild East – Foreign Policy Magazine, 11/17/11
A look inside the Chinese resort town modeled on the American West.
NOVEMBER 17, 2011
Beijing Resplendency Great Exploit Real Estate Co. LTD
Chinese families no longer have to cross oceans to get their fix of Americana. As the demand for vacation homes in China booms, a quirky market has emerged. Jackson Hole, a cowboy-inspired resort town in the northern province of Hebei, named after the Wyoming vacation mecca, offers around 900 cabins furnished with fireplaces and Western charm. This idyllic town offers a weekend escape from the over-crowded and heavily polluted streets of China’s urban neighborhoods.
Above, a road winds through Jackson Hole, wedged between the Taihang and Yan mountain ranges.
Beijing Resplendency Great Exploit Real Estate Co. LTD
In 2007, fifteen percent of Chinese urban families owned two or more houses — and affluent buyers are still purchasing second homes at an astounding rate. In Manhattan, Chinese businesspeople spend an average of $1.45 million on an apartment. A home in Jackson Hole now costs around $815,000, and as their values continue to skyrocket, so does the demand from families looking for a weekend getaway.
Megha Rajagopalan
American interior designer Allison Smith helped create Jackson Hole’s old-time American feel, shipping antiques from Portland, Oregon all the way to Beijing. The resort town’s manicured lawns are dotted with teepees and whiskey barrels.
Megha Rajagopalan
A Jackson Hole employee in a building dubbed “Wayne Castle.”
Megha Rajagopalan
Jackson Hole’s rustic Americana and lush landscape — just two hours from the hustle and bustle of Beijing — is a breath of fresh air for Chinese urbanites.
Beijing Resplendency Great Exploit Real Estate Co. LTD
Jackson Hole attracts lawyers, writers, and government officials who can afford its hefty pricetag. One resident described the town’s allure, saying,”There is something about the cowboy culture, and being near the mountains here, that gives you a feeling of total freedom.”
Beijing Resplendency Great Exploit Real Estate Co. LTD
A whiskey barrel sits on the porch of a Jackson Hole cabin.
Beijing Resplendency Great Exploit Real Estate Co. LTD
The homes in Jackson Hole are named after Wild West icons such as Billy the Kid and Geronimo.
Megha Rajagopalan
While weekend homes are on the rise in China, themed resorts are still far and few between, making Jackson Hole a hot commodity. With a kid-friendly gold-panning area and cowboy stunt stage, the resort’s Chinese name — which translates to “Hometown U.S.A” — says it all.
Megha Rajagopalan
Flannel shirts and blue checkered tableclothes are a common sight at Jackson Hole.
