Chinese Democracy Tour more shows in 2001, both at The Joint, Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, on December 29 and 31. Songs performed made up similar set lists to those at the January performances. Main set: Encores: Main set: Encores: Chinese Democracy Tour 2002 was a tour by Guns N' Roses which was the band's first major tour since 1993. The North American leg was organized in the autumn of 2002 to support the supposed release of "Chinese Democracy", and was announced on September 25, 2002 as the Chinese Democracy Tour. Thirty-five dates had originally been scheduled, but the band
Chinese Democracy Geffen had removed "Chinese Democracy" from its release schedule and withdrawn funding, stating: "Having exceeded all budgeted and approved recording costs by millions of dollars, it is Mr. Rose's obligation to fund and complete the album, not Geffen's." Around that time, manager Merck Mercuriadis said the album was close to complete. According to a March 2005 "New York Times" article, production costs for the album had reached $13 million, making it probably the most expensive recording "never made". Mercuriadis dismissed the article, writing in a letter that the newspaper's sources had not been involved with the project for several years.