Toronto 2015 Pan Am Team Takes Bid to Mexico
McGuinty Government Gives Strong Support
TORONTO, Oct. 10 /CNW/ -
NEWS
Premier Dalton McGuinty joined the 2015 Pan/Parapan Am Games Bid Committee in Mexico to make Ontario's case to host the Games.
The Premier met with Mario Vazquez Rana, president of the Pan American Sports Organization (PASO), and he is expected to meet with senior PASO officials and heads of the national Olympic committees from Latin America and the Caribbean.
The Pan/Parapan Am Games could generate close to $2 billion in economic activity, create 17,000 jobs and bring an estimated 250,000 tourists to the Greater Golden Horseshoe.
The bid has been backed financially by the Canadian and Ontario
governments. Funding will also come from participating municipalities,
sponsors and Games' revenues.
Toronto and the Greater Golden Horseshoe are ready to host the Pan
Parapan/Am Games and already have key venues in place, including the Rogers Centre, BMO Field and extensive convention centre space. The Games would leave a great legacy of sports facilities, giving Ontario's amateur athletes more opportunities to train and compete closer to home.
QUOTES
"Ontario is ready, willing, eager and able to host the 2015 Pan Am Games.
We will do everything in our power to live up to the spirit of the Games, and
make the event truly unforgettable," said Premier Dalton McGuinty.
"We love sports and that is what these Games are about. We want to ensure
a great experience for athletes and spectators alike at the 2015 Pan Am
Games," said Minister of Health Promotion, Margarett Best.
QUICK FACTS
- The Pan American Games are a multi-sport event, held every
four years, with competitors from North and South America.
- Rio de Janeiro hosted the 2007 games - 5,000 athletes from
42 countries competed.
- Winnipeg is the only Canadian city to host the Pan Am Games, once in
1967 and again in 1999.
LEARN MORE
See the preparations for the 2011 Pan American
Games(http://www.guadalajara2011.org.mx/esp/index.asp?lng=en) in
Guadalajara, Mexico.
