The Dominican Republic?s biggest challenge is not to win medals during the Pan Am Games. It is to properly maintain and book its new world class sports facilities after the Games. To book major sports events the country needs to exercise its
marketing muscle. The good word of mouth sports officers from visiting countries will be spreading, certainly will help.
As posted on the web site of the United States Tennis Association, the USTA officials and coaches are giving high praise to the new Santo Domingo Tennis Center, the venue of the tennis competition at the 2003 Pan American Games. "My hat goes off to
Tony Hernandez, the Dominican developer, who created a first-class facility," said Alan Schwartz, Chairman of the Board and President of the United States Tennis Association, who was in attendance at the Pan Am Games tennis competition this week.
The USTA called the new facility ?impressive.? The facility has 12 hard courts and a 3,800-seat stadium court. Debbie Graham, coach of the women?s team compared it to the courts used for the US Open.
The good news is that following the Pan Am Games, the new Santo Domingo Tennis Center will host the Davis Cup Group?s American Zone Playoff Tie against Paraguay.
For more on the USTA?s opinion on the new center, see http://www.usta.com/