Pan Am events may end up here

<a href=www.sun-sentinel.com>2003 Pan Am Games Posted March 23, 2003

The Pan American Sports Organization has decided that if certain venues for the Pan American Games in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, are not finished by May, events including swimming, diving and track will have to be held elsewhere.

South Florida could be the leading candidate.

According to officials, South Florida, which has bid for previous Pan American Games and Olympic trials and hosted several multisport events, is willing to host some or all of the events.

"It's not a far-fetched idea," said Pam Gerig, executive director of the Palm Beach County Sports Commission. "It's been our long-range goal to go international. Our intent is to contact all the governing bodies to see if they want to do the Pan American Games here."

The executive committee of the Pan American Sports Organization meets in Havana this week to decide whether to delay or postpone some of the events or move them to other cities.

The Pan Am Games cannot be canceled because it serves as an Olympic qualifier in several sports for some countries.

"South Florida could have the whole Pan American Games within a few months' notice," said Jose Rodriguez of the World Olympian Association, who has put together several Pan Am bid packets. "We have the facilities, the know-how and the infrastructure. Most of the teams have to fly to South Florida to get to the Dominican Republic anyway.

"The best Plan B would be South Florida. The experience Broward, Palm Beach and Miami-Dade counties have -- put those three together and what a great site this would be to have the Pan Am Games."

Pan Am construction projects in the Dominican are being held up by financial constraints and political crisis.

The country is waiting for $33 million for pool and stadium renovations. Work is behind schedule, and Dominican Republic Sports Minister Cesar Cedeño has agreed that some sports may have to be relocated if venues cannot be made ready in time.

"We have to be realistic because the work is advancing at a slow pace, but we are committed," he said at last week's site visitation by the U.S. Olympic Committee's task force.

Cycling, boxing, gymnastics, weightlifting, baseball, equestrian and volleyball are other sports that may be relocated.

"We would never not look at the opportunities," Gerig said.

"It falls in exactly with some of our goals. We would definitely go into discussion and see if it works with all parties. We put on at least two multisport events a year. That's our forte. The door is open always for discussion to bring in sports events."

A poll reported that nine out of 10 Dominicans did not support the Pan-American Games' being held in Santo Domingo.

The USOC's team processing for the Games will be held in Tampa, another possible site for several events.

South Florida is already being used as a training site for several Pan Am countries for athletes to acclimate and train for the Games.

Past Pan American Games hosts, including Venezuela and Cuba, had similar problems but still managed to host the Games.

Venues are incomplete. The Athletes Village lacked windows, doors and toilet seats.

"They are in a lot of trouble," said one USOC official. "The challenge is that, unfortunately, the leadership in these countries are sacrificing the athletes' welfare to hold this major event.

"What may save the Dominican Republic is a little tropical storm in the next three months. That would be a bona fide reason to move the Games because of an act of God."

Olympic trials

AmericanAirlines Arena may bid for the 2004 U.S. Olympic Team Trials in gymnastics when the bidding process is reopened on Monday.

The Olympic Team Trials, previously awarded to the FleetCenter in Boston, are being relocated due to the city being awarded the Democratic National Convention.

Sharon Robb can be reached at srobb@sun-sentinel.com