Macau taxpayers might think otherwise, but many will feel that the US$500 million expenditure for the 4th East Asian Games was well spent.
The curtains came down on the regional sporting show last night, rounding off a nine-day, 234-event spectacle dominated by China, which swept 127 gold medals out of 237 awarded.
Japan finished second for the fourth straight time with 46 golds and South Korea was third with 32.
But top Chinese officials saw things clearly, saying the wide gold gap between China and its Asian neighbors wasn't a proof of true differences.
"We sent top athletes to Macau because we regard this as a very important rehearsal for the 2008 Olympics," said Cui Dalin, China's deputy chef-de-mission. "Japan and South Korea didn't send their best. Some events in which the two countries are good at, such as judo and archery, are not included in the East Asian Games program."
On the final day of competition, Chinese Taipei beat Japan 60-55 to win the men's basketball title while their women's cagers lost the gold match to China 67-71.
The Chinese men edged their Democratic People's Republic Korea rivals 1-0 on a lone goal by midfielder Chen Tao, winning their first EAG soccer title.
Games' chief organizer Manuel Silverio told Xinhua the total cost of the games was about 4 billion Macao patacas (US$500 million), which accounts for one third of Macau's 2004 revenue.
Three billion were used to renovate and construct venues, including a super-modern dome complex and the 1,500-seat Macau Olympic Aquatic Center. A total of 30,000 staff workers and 15,000 volunteers contributed their services to the games.
By hosting the games, Macau presented itself as more than a gambling enclave, and with 11 gold medals to its credit, the city of 470,000 dwellers changed its image as a sporting nobody.
In the leadup to the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China has taken every sporting meet seriously.
In Macau, the second-place finisher at the 2004 Olympics dominated Olympic sports like swimming, diving, athletics, weightlifting, gymnastics, rowing and shooting; striking gold in wushu, taekwondo, sports dancing and dragon boating, too.
Olympic champions Liu Xiang and Guo Jingjing, the games' biggest names who were both mobbed on their arrival, successfully defended their titles, while Luo Xuejuan, Olympic gold medalist in the women's 100m breaststroke, lost her specialty event to 13-year-old teammate Wang Qun.
Spearheaded by Liu and Olympic women's 10,000m winner Xing Huina, China pocketed 26 out of 45 athletics titles as opposed Japan's 16.
The next EAG will be held in Hong Kong in 2009.