(ATR) The four bid cities for the 2019 Pan American Games made their pitches to PASO on Friday.
The presentations from Bolivar, Venezuela; La Punta, Argentina; Lima, Peru and Santiago, Chile were the only agenda item on the final day of the PASO Extraordinary General Assembly in Kingston, Jamaica.
Bolivar Touts "Natural" Games
The bid from the southeastern Venezuelan city emphasizes the natural beauty of the Games and the country’s unity with the Americas.
"Venezuela, historically, has shown a compromising feeling for all the countries in the Americas," said Andres Velazquez, governor of Bolivar state.
"We have shown in this proposal what it means to have a ‘Games of nature.’ Bolivar has created the accent of America, in the center of the continent."
He also touted the city’s rai-forest setting and available space as positives for the bid.
Incorporating the natural wealth of Bolivar extends to the Panamerican Village.
Hector Rodriguez, Venezuelan Sports Minister, said the Village will have 96 buildings, each five stories tall.
"The design has a principal easy access to the International Zone; this simulates the flow of the Orinoco River."
Accessibility would seem to be the biggest drawback for Bolivar. When questions were opened up to the floor, the only question was how to reach the city internationally. The city has an international airport, but the vast majority of travelers would have to connect in Caracas, Venezuela’s capital.
New City, New Opportunities for Pan Ams
La Punta, the only city in the Americas built in the 21st century, would signal a new era for the Pan American Games should the city win hosting rights.
Gerardo Werthein, president of the Argentine Olympic Committee, said "the Games will open up Pan Am for smaller cities. You don’t have to be the biggest city; you just have to be the best."
Around 13,000 people call La Punta home.
"They built the city in eight years; I’m sure they can deliver the Pan American Games in five," Werthein added.
Staging the first sustainable Pan American Games is the central theme of La Punta 2019.
At the heart of the bid proposal is a Pan American Park. The Village is located in the center and a monorail would connect all the venues. The bid committee says all venues are within 10 minutes by rail or walk.
Dario Rosas Curi, La Punta mayor, said the park would be used as a sport center for the Americas.
"All of this will help the building of La Punta as a sport city, as an inclusive city.
"America continues to be the land of opportunity and we are convinced that only those who dare to dream can change reality. Even if these realities are challenging."
Lima Touts Readiness
Peruvian Olympic Committee president Jose Quinones delivered Lima’s presentation, hoping to draw a direct distinction among its three rivals.
"If a tree doesn’t have good roots, it will die. We have thousands of years of roots.
"We know we have everything," he added. "It is a city for everybody – It joined all the races, through all history."
Quinones touted the financial readiness of the city, saying 100 percent of the budget is guaranteed and available.
Lima is "a city with better access. From all the countries in the Americas we have accessibility. We have more than 11,400 beds and getting more every day."
Perhaps the biggest comparison: "the best restaurants in Chile are from Peru."
He called Lima a "city of many events," noting Lima hosts a "minimum of three world championships a year."
Quinones said that all venues for the Games would be ready by 2017.
He also called sports "sacred" and mentioned his time as an athlete and vowed to keep all sports on the program.
"Sports is for athletes," he said.
The comments were made in response to other host countries that had cut sports from the program they had no chance to medal in, with the hopes of boosting their medal count.
Santiago Draws on All-Stars
The bid from Santiago hoped to use star power to convince PASO delegates to vote for the Chilean capital.
The presentation opened with video featuring a Pablo Neruda poem.
"Open your wings as the guardian of the Andes," the video’s narration said, calling Chile "a memory so impossible to forget."
Neven Ilic, Chile NOC president, claimed President of the Republic Sebastian Pinera urged him to bid.
"He told me: ‘President,’ he calls me President, ‘what can do to bring the Pan American Games to my country?
"‘I am convinced that sports is good for my young people and I want to invite you to present at PASO the candidacy of Chile. I am ready to do anything."
Pinera made an appearance in a taped message. He reiterated the government’s commitment to the bid.
"The government and people of Chile are deeply committed."
Fernando Gonzalez, gold medalist in tennis at the 2004 Olympics, also recorded a video endorsing the bid.
"Chile has the idea of having these games to develop the young people," he said. "March 7, 2013 we will start the development of the South American Games.
"This is our invitation for you to believe in us."
PASO President Mario Vazquez Rana said he might visit the bid cities, a first for his presidency, if he can find the time away from his job.
Vazquez Rana Clarifies Increased Funding
At his closing press conference Friday, Vazquez Rana clarified the increased funding for Pan American sport.
Around the Rings reported earlier that PASO was planning to give an additional $1 million each quadrennial to NOCs in the region.
However, Vazquez Rana said the money would instead go toward a "Pan American Olympic Festival."
"This has to be explained very much in detail; we’re not going to spend more money," he said.
"In Mexico what we will have is a concentration of three days where the coaches will have a preparation course.Afterwards, athletes will remain in Mexico for 10 or 15 days and we are planning to have scholarships for approximately 4,000 athletes."
He said athletes will have "some cost" to bear and the Festival is designed for smaller NOCs.
"The smaller countries are going to have an extraordinary situation."
He added that some federations will conduct their own festival at the same time.
"To do all of the things we’re doing now it’s very important."
Vazquez Rana said the funds will come from Pan American Solidarity.
Written by Ed Hula III.
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