Chile Wants To Host The 2019 Pan American Games

Chile's sports institutions IND and Olympics Committee are reportedly working on a proposal to have Chile host the 2019 Pan American Games.

According to the committee’s president, Neven Ilic, organizers of the Pan American Games requested Chile be a candidate. “They asked me if we were interested in being the host country. And I think we are, I think we must keep on growing,” said Ilic.

This would not be the first time that Chile is among the candidates for the Pan American Games - the country was in the running in 1975 and 1987, but was rejected both times.

Santiago is already the host of a big, upcoming sports event: the 2014 Organización Deportiva Suramericana, or Odesur. The infrastructure is already under construction and all the sites have been planned in such a way that they can be expanded.

“The designs of the buildings will allow their modification to fit the standards of the Pan American games,” said Marcela González, head of Corporación Santiago 2014, in charge of the preparation for Odesur.

“The work done for the Odesur is intended to leave an infrastructural legacy for the city, and to be ready for an eventual reception” of the Pan American Games.

SOURCE: EL MERCURIO
By Ignacio Gallegos (editor@santiagotimes.cl)
Copyright 2011 – The Santiago Times