Pam Am Games Report- Toronto 2015 Athletics Stadium Talks Deadline; Guadalajara Sponsor Search

Toronto 2015 Looks to Resolve Athletic Stadium Site

The city of Hamilton and the CFL Hamilton Tiger-Cats will decide the location of the 2015 Pan Am Stadium, says Toronto 2015 CEO Ian Troop.

Troop set a July 8 deadline for Hamilton and the Tiger-Cats to work out plans for the Pan Am Stadium. The two sides are in disagreement about the location of stadium, which would house the football team after the Games. A facilitator is assisting in the talks.

"The city’s destiny is indeed in its own hands," Troop said Thursday. "We are pleased that the city and the Cats are working together and that a facilitator has been named. We see this as being a very positive step that will lead to resolution by the July 8 date."

Troop said he hopes to know the specific stadium site by the deadline so that Toronto 2015 can move forward with plans. Toronto 2015 is exploring other possibilities for a stadium if talks are not fruitful.

"If we don’t here a response (by July 8) then we start looking at other options and exploring those possibilities at least informally," Troop said. "Our focus though is to ensure that the facility as planned goes off in Hamilton."

Troop made his comments following a Toronto 2015 Board of Directors meeting. Troop told the board that Toronto 2015 is on schedule in the early phases of planning. Toronto won the right to host the Games last November.

"Toronto 2015’s games plans are on schedule and we are looking forward to a busy summer ahead," said Troop. "We're building an experienced team, shaping our brand and confirming venues, all critical steps in delivering an event that will be on time, on scope and on budget."

The board is undergoing changes. Former COC CEO Chris Rudge is leaving the board after resigning his position last month.

"Chris has been a tremendous positive force for sport in Canada and his efforts certainly benefited the Toronto 2015 bid," said Toronto 2015 chairman Roger Garland.

David Braley, owner of the CFL's Toronto Argonauts and B.C. Lions, is also leaving the board of directors following his appointment to the Canadian Senate by Prime Minister Stephen Harper last week. Braley was a part bid team. Gary Lund, Canadian sports minister, is in charge of naming a replacement for Braley.

COC appointed Walter Sieber to replace Rudge on the board. Sieber’s resume includes Director General of Sports for the Montreal 1976 Olympics, advisor for the Moscow and Seoul Olympics, and VANOC board member.

Guadalajara Searching for Sponsors

Guadalajara 2011 Games marketing director Horacio de la Vega Flores predicts that sponsorship revenue could surpass the amount collected for the 2007 Rio de Janeiro Pan Games.

De la Vega told El Economista that Guadalajara 2011 is searching for 10 more sponsors by the start of the Games in October 2011. Despite lack of sponsorship agreements less than 18 until the Games, De la Vega says that sponsorships can surpass the $22 million that Rio 2007 collected.

"We are about to sign contracts, we already have five companies, we look forward to 10 more, we are sure we get them," he told El Economista.

Guadalajara 2011 has sponsors in the automotive, airline and construction material categories.The committee is expected to sign a food sector sponsor soon, according to reports.

"The investments of each company have been between 15 and 20 million pesos, so we hope to at least reach the levels it reached Rio de Janeiro in 2007," De la Vega said.

"One of the things we're waiting for are the contracts, we are calm. Our goal is to reach 15, we have only five but I think we are on track and I think we'll be able to break record in sponsorships, "said De la Vega.

2011 Pan American Stadium Environmental Record

A confidential environmental report for the 2011 Pan American Stadium in Guadalajara could undergo public scrutiny.

Salvador Caro Cabrera, federal deputy secretary of the Committee on Youth and Sports of the Chamber of Deputies, says he is in favor of making an environmental report on the Pan Am Stadium open to the public, reports El Informador. Cabrera is in charge of a federal commission that oversees Guadalajara 2011 projects.

The Ministry of Environment for Sustainable Development of Jalisco classified the report as confidential.

Construction for the stadium started a few weeks ago with less than 18 months until the Games. Guadalajara 2011 is facing a rush to complete the stadium after moving site twice due to construction problems including water runoff.

NBA Players at Pan American Games?

Toronto Sun columnist Steve Buffery says that hosting the Pan American Games makes Toronto look "bush league" unless the Games could become an Olympic qualifier for basketball.

"I’ve stated before that I believe that hosting the 2015 Pan American Games is a mistake — which is certainly not the opinion of my masters here at 333 King St. East," he writes. "To me, it makes Toronto look bush league. The city has attempted to host two Olympic Games in the past (1996 and 2008) and failed, despite putting together excellent bids both times."

Buffery writes that basketball could change the perception that the Pan American Games are a so-called "B" event. He says that the Games would get much more attention if it was used a basketball qualifier for the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games.

He concludes that NBA players would bring attention to Pan American Games. However, NBA players at Toronto 2015 would certainly mean the International Basketball Federation dropping the FIBA Americas tournament, which is an Olympic qualifier.

"The chances of FIBA Americas dropping its tournament in 2015 and allowing the Pan Ams to be the Olympic qualifier is a long-shot at best," Buffery writes.

The 2015 Pan Am Games will take place in the month of July, well ahead of the start of the NBA season in October.

For the full column, click here.

Written by Sam Steinberg.