Dr. Jos? Joaqu?n Puello, the president of the Dominican Olympic Committee and host of the XIV Pan American Games, says that the Dominican government could receive between RD$600 and RD$650 million as a result of the Games. Puello says that the sale of the broadcasting rights, commercialization of various locales, advertising and ticket sales will be responsible for the expected bonanza.
So far, Gatorade, Presidente beer, Codetel, Omnimedia, Spokane, Pepsi, Swiss Timing, Aster, Worldlink and MCR have signed on as sponsors.
Puello reminded reporters that the government was supposed to give the Organizing Committee RD$900 million for its role in preparing for the event, but that the Games themselves would be able to give back around RD$600 million. He also assured the press that tickets to attend the events would be available to all classes of society. In today?s papers, Emilio Lapayese and Celso Marranzini questioned the prudence of holding the Games at such a precarious juncture. Lapayese, in his column ?100 words? in Hoy newspaper, called the games ?ruinous whim?. Marranzini, commenting on the necessity of obtaining IMF assistance, questioned the inflated cost of the Games. Originally estimated at RD$1.7 billion, the price tag for the games has since soared to RD$6 billion.