Toronto has been awarded the Pan Am Games in 2015. Winning the spot to host the sports competition could make it easier for the Canadian city to host a Summer Olympics.
Toronto was selected on the first ballot during the general assembly inn Guadalajara, Mexico. Lima, Peru was the second place city with 11 votes compared to Toronto's 33 votes.
Toronto will build six new facilities in Toronto, Markham and Hamilton to complete the 50 venues needed for the Pan Am Games. The Games has a budget of $1.4 billion for the games and an addition $1 billion for the village where the athletes will live during their time in Toronto.
When the games have finished the athletic village will be turned into a mixed-income community with transit service.
Both the federal and provincial governments will have to bring about $500 million to the table for the Pan Am budget.
The
Canadian Press reports:
"People forget 50-metre pools just don't help world-class athletes," Pierre Lafontaine, Swimming Canada's chief executive officer and national team coach said. "They help everybody.
"It allows a community to have much more flexibility in their programs. You can have swimming lessons on one side, a program for seniors on the other side, and still run a swim team or diving program."
In 2007 Pan Am Games were held in Rio de Janeiro. Rio will host the Olympic Games in 2016.
The Pan Am Games began in 1951 in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
