LAS VEGAS (KSNV) — Saying that 500 jobs in the tourism industry are at stake, the Nevada congressional delegation has bent a letter to urge the United States Customs and Border Protection to immediately address a staffing shortage at McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas, Nevada that threatens Nevada's tourism economy.

Currently, a seasonal LATAM flight from Sao Paulo, Brazil, is flying to McCarran three times a week. While this flight lands outside of CBP standard working hours, a temporary agreement was arranged between the airport authority and the agency to provide a limited amount of CBP overtime hours to allow inspectors to process visitors from that flight. The overwhelming success of the LATAM flight led to the airline moving to add a winter service from mid-December through February and express interest in a year-round service. Unfortunately, CBP officials at McCarran have indicated that they will not provide the staffing necessary to clear this early-morning flight.

"Without CBP's immediate assistance, LATAM will cancel and move the additional flight. The cost to the Las Vegas economy would be instantaneous -- $15 million in economic development and up to 100 jobs, the letter states. "The loss of year-round LATAM service would likely cost the region $70 million and nearly 500 jobs. Making matters worse, additional carriers from Asia, Australia, and South America are also interested in scheduling new flights to Las Vegas with early morning arrival times," the members of the Nevada delegation wrote. "Without a solution to the near-term problem, this growth will be stifled and the associated economic loses will be dramatically compounded. We request that CBP work with local airport and tourism officials to resolve this matter as soon as possible."

Southern Nevada welcomes nearly a million tourists from across the United States and abroad during any given week, and Las Vegas hosts more than 40 million visitors each year.

U.S. Senator Cortez Masto (D-NV) and U.S. Representatives Dina Titus (D-NV), Ruben J. Kihuen (D-NV), and Jacky Rosen (D-NV) signed the letter.