Dan Washburn wrote about what it takes to build a golf course in China:

• Beijing has announced a moratorium on new golf courses. That’s why these days “resorts” and “exercise fields” with golf holes are all the rage.
• Developers will hire local villages as subcontractors. The village head will get about five yuan a day for every village labourer, and this tidy profit will ensure the village’s support in case any land disputes pop up.
• Canny operators will appoint CEOs “Chief Entertainment Officers” whose sole responsibility is to maintain good relationships with government officials by paying for meals and trips, to ensure their support.
• Not that they need to try too hard. Entertainment venues are taxed at an expensive 23.5% in China, which is why local governments are eager to have them set up shop and enrich the local treasury.

Read more about the tips and hacks that developers exploit, what happens when foreign companies try to do the same, and more over here.

Source: Quartz