Bids for the 2003 Pan American Games
| Overview | |
|---|---|
| XIV Pan American Games | |
| Winner: Santo Domingo Runner-up: Guadalajara Candidate: Medellin | |
| Details | |
| Committee | PASO |
| Election venue | Panama City, Panama 36th PASO General Assembly |
| Map | |
  | |
| Important dates | |
| Decision | December 6, 1998 |
| Decision | |
| Winner | Santo Domingo (28 votes) |
| Runner-up | Guadalajara (24 votes) |
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| Part of a series on the |
| 2003 Pan American Games |
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Three cities submitted bids to host the 2003 Pan American Games that were recognized by the Pan American Sports Organization. Santo Domingo was selected by PASO to host the XIV Pan American Games in the second round of voting on December 6, 1998, at its general assembly held in Panama City, Panama.[1]
Host city selection
Medellin was eliminated in the first round, as 26 votes were needed to win.[2] Santo Domingo won the majority vote in the first and second rounds with 24 votes and 28 votes, respectively.[3]
| 2003 Pan American Games bidding results | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| City | NOC | Round 1 | Round 2 | |||
| Santo Domingo |  Dominican Republic
|
24 | 28 | |||
| Guadalajara |  Mexico
|
21 | 24 | |||
| Medellin |  Colombia
|
6 | — | |||
Candidate cities
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
Following the 1986 Central American and Caribbean Games held in Santiago de los Caballeros, President of the Dominican Republic Olympic Committee Dr. José Joaquín Puello announced a 13-point "ten-year plan," from 1989 to 1999, in which the last point was to hold tha Pan American Games. The country gained support of President of the Pan American Sports Organization Mario Vázquez Raña following thereafter; on June 24, 1986 Raña urged Puello to bid for Pan American Games.[4] Santo Domingo had submitted a bid for the 1999 Pan American Games, but lost to Winnipeg by one vote.[3]
Santo Domingo's campaign to host the 2003 Games focused on winning over the smaller countries, using the slogan los pequeños también pueden (English: the little ones can too), and it proved to be effective. Puello also gained the support of newly-elected president Leonel Fernandez, even though broad sectors rejected the project.[4]
In the first round of voting, Medellin was eliminated. Santo Domingo and Medellin had an agreement that if one of the two cities was eliminated in the first round, they would vote for the other in the second.[4] Santo Domingo won in the second round.[1]
Guadalajara, Mexico
In 1996, Mayor César Coll Carabias launched the first ever candidacy for Guadalajara to host the 2003 Pan American Games.[5] Guadalajara had most of the sports venues necessary and a wealth of experience in organizing multi-sport events. Additionally, president of the Pan American Sports Organization Mario Vázquez Raña supported the city.[3] In an effort to gain support for Guadalajara, Mexican delegates had offered to give about $51,000 to each of the 41 National Olympic Committees to be used for training programs for athletes. The Colombian delegation responded to this by accusing Mexico of vote-buying.[6] Guadalajara lost to Santo Domingo in the second round.
Medellin, Colombia
Medellin had boasted an excellent climate condition, as well as the fact that most of the facilities that would have been necessary already existed, but security considerations were a major concern.[3] Geneneral Rosso José Serrano attempted to alleviate concerns over safety in Medellin.[6] Medellin was eliminated was eliminated in the first round of voting. Keeping their promise to vote for Santo Domingo if they were eliminated in the first round, Medellin voted for Santo Domingo in the second.[4]
Showed preliminary interest
Santiago, Chile
- Santiago did show interest in hosting the 2003 Games, but in June 1998, the city decided not to further any attempt for hosting the games.[2]
References
- ^ a b "Santo Domingo Is Named as Host". The New York Times. 7 December 1998. Retrieved 24 January 2019.
- ^ a b "DR competes with Colombia and Mexico for Pan Am Games". DR1. 2 June 1998. Retrieved 24 January 2019.
- ^ a b c d "Santo Domingo to host Pan Am Games". DR1. 7 December 1998. Retrieved 24 January 2019.
- ^ a b c d "La lucha por la sede fue una batalla gigante". Listin Diarro. 1 August 2013. Retrieved 24 January 2019.
- ^ "Panamericanos: Mala planeación, abusos, contratos de obra para cuates…". Proceso (in Spanish). 7 May 2011. Retrieved 24 January 2019.
- ^ a b "DR to host 2003 Games". Kingston Gleaner. Kingston, Jamaica. Associated Press. 7 December 1998. Retrieved 24 January 2019.