The Canadian province of Ontario is seriously considering a “Golden Horseshoe” Pan-American Games bid, and although details are far from complete, the Toronto Star reports that events could stretch from the cities of Barrie to St. Catharines, with key roles for Toronto and Hamilton.
Doug Hamilton, a major figure in Toronto’s failed 2008 Summer Games bid and York Region’s unsuccessful bid for the 2014 Commonwealth Games, said the bid was to upgrade sports facilities in the region and isn’t an attempt to someday land the Olympic Games.
He said Golden Horseshoe cities need everything from swimming pools to field houses that can accommodate basketball, gymnastics and volleyball. He told the Toronto Star, “this bid is all about sports legacy. It’s not about tourism, it’s about sports facilities”.
Bid supporters are estimating that $1 billion might be enough to fund a Golden Horseshoe Games.
The federal, provincial, and some municipal governments would be asked to fund the Games, but Hamilton said because local cities already have a lot of arenas and other facilities the capital costs shouldn’t be high.
Provincial officials say it’s too early to comment publicly, but a provincial government source said the government likes the idea at this early stage especially since it’s geared to the entire Golden Horseshoe and not focused on Toronto which would be a tougher sell politically in others parts of Ontario, reports the newspaper.
Hamilton said the venues for the Pan-Am Games don’t need to be as large as for the Olympics, which should help keep costs down.
Last month the Star reported Chris Rudge, CEO of the Canadian Olympic Committee (COC), saying of a possible bid, “we’re looking seriously at a bid for 2015. We had a board meeting last weekend and the COC has endorsed moving forward”.
At this early date officials suggest the Rogers Centre could be used for the opening and closing ceremonies as well as baseball. BMO field at Exhibition Place would host some soccer events, and the Air Canada Centre would be the venue for basketball.
The town of Markham is considering building a national sports institute and officials say a Pan-Am Games would be a perfect catalyst.
Pan-Am bid supporter Paul Henderson, head of Toronto’s failed 1996 Summer Olympic Games bid, has long complained about the lack of amateur sports facilities in southern Ontario. He said, “everything is focused on winter sports. We have no swimming pools or field hockey pitches. We’re not going to get the Olympics in my lifetime but the Pan-Ams give you the facilities you need without the same costs”.
With the 2011 Games in Guadalajara, Mexico Henderson said it should be North America’s turn in 2015.
Rudge said if they are receptive to a bid the COC would probably look for bids from across the country. But he recently told the Star that the COC realizes southern Ontario has a pressing need for sports facilities.
The COC would probably vote on the bid next April and if a bid went ahead the host city for the 2015 Pan Am Games would be selected in 2009.
