When the government chose to take over large areas of the Mirador del Este park to build Olympic standard facilities for the August 2003 Pan American Games, protests were widespread. Visionaries said that the trees were being torn for what would become a park of white elephants. The critics of the construction pointed to the track record of abandoned sports parks built for the National Sports Games nationwide. Today, the Listin Diario reports that the pessimistic forecast is now reality. The sports pages’ main story focuses on complaints of the residents near the park area, who say access to the park is restricted, while sports advocates are decrying the removal of important sporting equipment by unknown persons. Listin Diario reporters say the area has been abandoned, with only half a dozen military were to be found at the entrance door to the center that cost taxpayers over RD$1 billion. The reporters mentioned that no one bothered to rescue the recently planted palm trees that cost RD$15,000-RD$25,000 each and fell due to the strong winds of Tropical Storm Odette last week. Instead, trespassers have chopped the trees to sell the “palmito”, an edible vegetable found inside the trunk.