Do any of you ever think it is possible for a Summer Olympic Games in Santo Domingo? It did host the Pan-American Games in 2003. If not, do you think it could ever be hosted by any other Caribbean city?
- Thread starter Antillano
- Start date
Santo Domingo Olympics
More chance of NASA building a space shuttle launch pad in Sosua.
The Panam Games here was a huge failure. All it did was cost the country billions of pesos, lined some peoples pockets and left the country with a bunch of white elephants (sports facilities) that are never used and many are now run down and worthless.
The Olympics is for large, well developed first world countries.
Countries that can absorb the cost, know how to promote it and can utilize the facilities (sporting and infrastructure) after the games are over.
In short, the Caribbean will never see an Olympics.
The Panam Games here was a huge failure. All it did was cost the country billions of pesos, lined some peoples pockets and left the country with a bunch of white elephants (sports facilities) that are never used and many are now run down and worthless.
The Olympics is for large, well developed first world countries.
Countries that can absorb the cost, know how to promote it and can utilize the facilities (sporting and infrastructure) after the games are over.
In short, the Caribbean will never see an Olympics.
Yep, it is purely financial and Caribbean countries could not afford an unnecessary expense without help from a richer country, and it's mainly a way for a country to show off their country more so than the games themselves. I would be happy if it was always played in Athens, and have all the countries sponsor it so that Greece would not get a big bill every 4 years.
The 2012 Summer Games Were Awarded To London England This Morning!
Not held there since 1948! Congratulations England!
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Not held there since 1948! Congratulations England!
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Never is a long time!Robert said:
I'm sure many people around the Caribbean thought this region was going to be rich forever, that is until sugar prices plummeted.
Never is a long time!
However, putting all those things aside, everwhere there have been an olympics, the local economy booms dramatically. This was the case in Atlanta, Sydney, Athens, and in 2012 London will be blessed. Sure, it costs alot, but the residual economic boom is well worth the cost.
The Panam games were a failure, because nobody cares about that! That was a pure waste of money. However, an Olympics is a much better deal overall for whatever country gets such games. This is why there is so much fuss between countries in an attempt at getting the games.
Yes, pride and joy has something to do with it, but its the positive economic factor that these games tend to do to hosting places that really creates a desire to host them.
Again, never is a long time!
In the past century the Dominican Republic experienced two American invasions, the longest dictatorship in Latin American history, the biggest economic boom ever experienced in the Caribbean, a few bad recessions and crisis, an era of wealth and prestige known as the Dance of Millions, Haitianization, emigration, has become a major tourist destination, has become more democratic than ever and Santo Domingo has gone from a small pear shaped colonial relic to one of the largest metropolis in the hemisphere offering the world to those willing to pay the price being asked.
The country certainly has changed tremendously and is not the same place it was 1900!
There is no guarantee of what the future beholds for this country, only time will tell.
Never is a long time!
Your kidding right?
After the pan-am games were butchered, you can bet your life that nothing like that will ever come back. No security, lack of attendence, athletes arrived hours late........what a nightmare!
After the pan-am games were butchered, you can bet your life that nothing like that will ever come back. No security, lack of attendence, athletes arrived hours late........what a nightmare!
never is a long time indeed
But I will add to that..
It will take 'siempre y un dia' to make the DR a suitable host in:
1) Organisation; no it is not alright to sell tickets on the internet and then never to deliver them,
2) Security; I'm very sorry that you got robbed of your Olympic gold medal sir and shot in the leg besides, maybe you can participate in the paralympics?
3) Interest; who will be able to afford to go to the events and who will be interested in going,
4) Sportsfacilities; no, you cannot hold the swim and track meets along different sides of the Malecon,
5) Infrastructure ; no it is not alright to start each event in order of arrival of the athletes,
The effort and money it would take to organise these games would be much better spent on improving the vital functions of statehood that the DR governement currently deprives its citizens of..
But I will add to that..
It will take 'siempre y un dia' to make the DR a suitable host in:
1) Organisation; no it is not alright to sell tickets on the internet and then never to deliver them,
2) Security; I'm very sorry that you got robbed of your Olympic gold medal sir and shot in the leg besides, maybe you can participate in the paralympics?
3) Interest; who will be able to afford to go to the events and who will be interested in going,
4) Sportsfacilities; no, you cannot hold the swim and track meets along different sides of the Malecon,
5) Infrastructure ; no it is not alright to start each event in order of arrival of the athletes,
The effort and money it would take to organise these games would be much better spent on improving the vital functions of statehood that the DR governement currently deprives its citizens of..
While I never wanted the Pan Am Games here
I can truly say that "never say 'never' " ......
Only because I think that Santo Domingo is almost the only city in the Caribbean with the capacity to hold the Games.
Will this happen in my lifetime? No.
In the life time of any of the posters here? Well, maybe Sally Anne will enjoy the Games of Santo Domingo with her grandchildren by the guy she has never met in the country she has never seen...
And can you imagine what the IOC is thinking today after hundreds were injured and dozens were killed in London? Merry Old became Bloody old real fast.
Sadly for the city and its people.
Realistically, what city in the region, let's say the Caribbean Basin, could hold the games.
Maybe Caracas, but I doubt it. Too cramped, never held even the Central American and Caribbean GAmes. Cartagena, a possibility, they have held international games before and they are a world class city, far enough away from the "troubles"..No city in Central America is even remotely capable, not even San Salvador that has held Central American and Caribbean GAmes. Excepting Mexico City-Not likely to repeat but a 'maybe'. Havana? Oh yes they could, and Ch?vez would help finance them, but Fidel can't afford to have the world inside his place just now. San Juan could do it, but, of course the US would have to pour billions in there to make it work, but they could do it. And lastly, Trinidad & Tobago might, but I don't think any IOC in their right minds would put the Games in such a sultry place.
So just four or five spots, Cartagena, Mexico City, Havana, San Juan and Santo Domingo....
Will it happen? No, but from High Above, I'll be watching to see.....
HB
I can truly say that "never say 'never' " ......
Only because I think that Santo Domingo is almost the only city in the Caribbean with the capacity to hold the Games.
Will this happen in my lifetime? No.
In the life time of any of the posters here? Well, maybe Sally Anne will enjoy the Games of Santo Domingo with her grandchildren by the guy she has never met in the country she has never seen...
And can you imagine what the IOC is thinking today after hundreds were injured and dozens were killed in London? Merry Old became Bloody old real fast.
Sadly for the city and its people.
Realistically, what city in the region, let's say the Caribbean Basin, could hold the games.
Maybe Caracas, but I doubt it. Too cramped, never held even the Central American and Caribbean GAmes. Cartagena, a possibility, they have held international games before and they are a world class city, far enough away from the "troubles"..No city in Central America is even remotely capable, not even San Salvador that has held Central American and Caribbean GAmes. Excepting Mexico City-Not likely to repeat but a 'maybe'. Havana? Oh yes they could, and Ch?vez would help finance them, but Fidel can't afford to have the world inside his place just now. San Juan could do it, but, of course the US would have to pour billions in there to make it work, but they could do it. And lastly, Trinidad & Tobago might, but I don't think any IOC in their right minds would put the Games in such a sultry place.
So just four or five spots, Cartagena, Mexico City, Havana, San Juan and Santo Domingo....
Will it happen? No, but from High Above, I'll be watching to see.....
HB
Cuba would have it before DR. I think the world is more facinated with Cuba than DR, especially if they ever transition to a Democracy or Socialist/Democracy type country. I'm saying this because many of you are saying DR would "never" have it.
I beleive its possible to have it in the Carribean, even if it is not DR.
I beleive its possible to have it in the Carribean, even if it is not DR.
Wow, I can see I sparked a debate, lol. I believe that it could be possible in the Caribbean basin.
Caracas is a beautiful, modern city and just as cramped as M?xico, D.F., Athens, London, Paris...etc who have all hosted the games.
Havana is a great contender, since it is a place full of fascinating history and the largest city in the Caribbean. Plus, the world is absolutely fascinated with it, even before Castro. They also have one of the best Olympic team records - certainly one of the best in Latin America. However, they really lack the infrastructure and the money.
Santo Domingo is a possibility and since the Pan-American Games have been called, by many people, as a failure, I don't think it could. Plus, it is relatively unknown in the world.
I think the last great contender is San Juan, Puerto Rico. Of course, I'm a little biased, since I am half Puerto Rican. Still, hands-down, it and its metropolitan area is the most modern urban space in the Caribbean and one of the most modern in all of Latin America. It really has the infrastructure, many of which was planned for its bid for 2004 Olympics, which it lost, but has since been completed or near completion. It also has hosted and will host many major sports events, such as the Pan-Americna games and the Caribbean and Central American Games. However, it is not as well known, sadly, as Havana and it is still under a colonial relationship to a major power and therefore has an identity crisis. Financially, I think it is more capable than any other Caribbean city, except maybe Caracas. (Most of the infrastructure, especially the new mass transit system, is paid by the island gov't and all the roads and highways are paid by the island gov't.)
Caracas is a beautiful, modern city and just as cramped as M?xico, D.F., Athens, London, Paris...etc who have all hosted the games.
Havana is a great contender, since it is a place full of fascinating history and the largest city in the Caribbean. Plus, the world is absolutely fascinated with it, even before Castro. They also have one of the best Olympic team records - certainly one of the best in Latin America. However, they really lack the infrastructure and the money.
Santo Domingo is a possibility and since the Pan-American Games have been called, by many people, as a failure, I don't think it could. Plus, it is relatively unknown in the world.
I think the last great contender is San Juan, Puerto Rico. Of course, I'm a little biased, since I am half Puerto Rican. Still, hands-down, it and its metropolitan area is the most modern urban space in the Caribbean and one of the most modern in all of Latin America. It really has the infrastructure, many of which was planned for its bid for 2004 Olympics, which it lost, but has since been completed or near completion. It also has hosted and will host many major sports events, such as the Pan-Americna games and the Caribbean and Central American Games. However, it is not as well known, sadly, as Havana and it is still under a colonial relationship to a major power and therefore has an identity crisis. Financially, I think it is more capable than any other Caribbean city, except maybe Caracas. (Most of the infrastructure, especially the new mass transit system, is paid by the island gov't and all the roads and highways are paid by the island gov't.)
Antillano said:
Hey, don't forget Jamaica!!!
And the bahamas would be awsome because you could have different events on the different islands. That would be unique in itself.
I doubt that the Bahamas could host the Games, Joe. The Olympics require certain variety, size and degree of up-to-date tech in athletic facilities that I doubt the Bahamas could provide.sancochojoe said:
sancochojoe said:
True, but Jamaica doesn't have the financial capacity to do so nor does the Bahamas. However, that would be very interesting and beautiful to have the Olympics on a nation of many tropical islands...now all they need is the money, lol. San Juan all the way! lol
Keith R said:
I know that Keith, it is clear it's purely financial why they can't. Even many of the countries that have hosted them did not have the up-to-date athletic facilities until they built them for the olympics. That is generally where the cost lies, is building the facilities.
When I was living in LA for the 84 Olympics, they did not have all the up-to-date facilities. In fact they had to upgrade some of the highschools for training purposes for the track runners. That is how my highschool got a new rubber-track. Before, it was tar-based track.
I also don't believe that world events such as that should be financed solely by the hosting countries. It would always leave out the smaller countries, and it would not truly represent what the Olympics were meant for.
The US has had about 6 summer olympics already.
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Ah, but the difference is that L.A. could convince the IOC that it could upgrade to the facilities needed by the time they hosted the games. I doubt the Bahamas or Jamaica or DR or Cuba or Trinidad could convince the IOC that they would have the requisites in the time frame needed.sancochojoe said:
Keith R said:
I'm sure. After all, most countries take a loss when hosting an olympics. It wouldn't really make since for them anyway.
But instead of talking about why they can't, since we know why and it's easy to do, how about talking about how it would be possible and changes that would have to be made within the IOC to facility financially strapped caribbean countries. After all it would be an ideal location to host the world with such an event.
...and what is the cost to host an olympics?
as a nyc'r (sorta)...i am VERY happy we didnt get the damn games!!! THis city is already too crowded...and we DONT need the added security risk.
Anyhoo...Olympics in the Carib. I doubt it. One of the benefits of hosting...is that the arenas that are built will be utilized for years to come..either by baseball or football, basketball...and the like). ok..futball and baseball are huge in the carib...but would the huge stadiums generate enough money in the years following? doubt it.
Perhaps in a 100 or so years or so, if the global economy truly becomes global and the carib develops into something in the global view as just a vacation desitination.....then i doubt it
oh..and i doubt that the bombing today in london had anything to do with the olympics....rather more to do with the G8 summit.
Anyhoo...Olympics in the Carib. I doubt it. One of the benefits of hosting...is that the arenas that are built will be utilized for years to come..either by baseball or football, basketball...and the like). ok..futball and baseball are huge in the carib...but would the huge stadiums generate enough money in the years following? doubt it.
Perhaps in a 100 or so years or so, if the global economy truly becomes global and the carib develops into something in the global view as just a vacation desitination.....then i doubt it
oh..and i doubt that the bombing today in london had anything to do with the olympics....rather more to do with the G8 summit.