Toronto 2015

[Brans]

I find it interesting that the only news about Lima and Columbia bids are coming from the Toronto papers.

Also where is the venue plans for their bids?

[Brans]

Are David Peterson and Jagoda Pike the right people to run this bid? The news in 2015 has been dominated by Toronto, and its competition did not even show to the Caribbean Association of National Olympic Committees in January.

Toronto has released its venue plan etc, why isn't Toronto considered the clear cut favourite to wins these games. What in the world is it going to take?

The competition says nothing, misses important meetings, and they still have a shot at winning these games?

[jim jones]

Are David Peterson and Jagoda Pike the right people to run this bid? The news in 2015 has been dominated by Toronto, and its competition did not even show to the Caribbean Association of National Olympic Committees in January.

Toronto has released its venue plan etc, why isn't Toronto considered the clear cut favourite to wins these games. What in the world is it going to take?

The competition says nothing, misses important meetings, and they still have a shot at winning these games?

I think they are the right people to run the Bid. Jagoda Pike certainly has had enough contacts and Experience with the failed Hamilton 2010 and the Caribbean/Americas British Commonwealth Nations. If you don't win those Nations votes you don't host pretty Simple.

The Canoc Meeting the Other two Candidate Cities missed Also involved Belize, Guyana and Suriname. You can't be standing up all those Caribbean Nations a mere 3 hour direct flight away from your candidate city of Bogota and a Few hours more from Lima. Both Belize and Guyana would be familiar with Jagoda Pike as well. Thing is Canada put a great deal into the development of Sports in the Caribbean and the ties are strong.

I think Vote splitting between the Spanish speaking nations may be over played. There is the real possibility that Toronto 2015 has made in roads into the home turf of Lima and Bogota.

An Interesting article that the Toronto Sun had . An Unnamed Veteran of Bid Lobbying for Toronto and Canada's Olympic bid said if he was involved he would ask the Caribbean Nations if they wanted their athletes competing at 2400 meters of elevation . Which is a Direct shot at Bogota.

If you are not communicating the case then indeed Voters can believe you are complacent or think you have it wrapped up. If Jagoda Pike and the committee have good solid relations with many Caribbean Nations voters then that can carry over to other neighboring places . I think of the Central American countries and Mexico. It some ways coming to Toronto fits in a rotation pattern not declared. Now if Chicago wins over Rio for 2016 before the Pan Am Games Vote I think the whole ballgame could go to a south american city simply because it may be a bitter pill for the Spanish speaking Nations to swallow. The pressure would certainly be on the Caribbeans to grant South America the games for 2015 with a loss to Chicago

jim jones

[jim jones]

I find it interesting that the only news about Lima and Columbia bids are coming from the Toronto papers.

Also where is the venue plans for their bids?

Could it have something to do with Spanish media not being picked up by Google or other search engines ?

I think it would not be a problem with search results but who knows ?

Jim Jones

[Brans]

This is what I don't understand. Vote for the best bid period. The Pan Am Games have not been in a English speaking country since 1999.

[Brans]

South American already hosted the games in 2007. The integrity of the Pan Am Games is at stake, the 2015 Toronto bid must win.

The 2015 Toronto bid maybe the last English bid you will see in a long long time. Its is getting to the point where English bids do not have a shot a winning.

The 2015 Toronto Pan Am Games bid would transform the Pan Am Games, bring back the English media who left many years ago.

[Brans]

Jim Jones what you said is very disturbing. If Rio loses their Olympic bid then pressure will be on to award the bid to a South American city?

This is very shady and it has has me wondering whether Toronto bidding for the Pan Am Games is a good idea. This is the type of practice that breaks the spirit of the games.

Maybe we were better off going after the Commonwealth games.

[Faster]

The games have a rotation - North, Central South

1999 - North

2003 - Central

2007 - South

2011 - North - Guadalajara is ambiguous and could be considered Central

2015 - should technically go to Central, but none are bidding.

[Brans]

Mexico was the only one to bid in 2011.

I would like to get the thoughts of our South American friends on on the possibly of being pressured to vote for a South American city if Rio loses their Olympic.

If this practice does occur, it should be taken very seriously. The integrity of the Pan American Games is a stake.

[Apple]

Back during the 2010 Commonwealth bid we had literally a wall filled with headshots of each voting delegates. We mostly focused on the Caribbean and European votes. This time around the Caribbean voters will recognize Jagoda Pike.

[Brans]

I am very disturbed that vote rigging could happen. This is the most serious and dishonest practice in a international voting process. I hope this is not true, please let this not be true.

[Brans]

I am very hurt that no one on this board is speaking out against pressure to change votes if Rio loses.

Rio is not going to win this bid, and changing votes because of the Olympic votes is wrong.

The Pan Am Games is going to lose all of its creditabilty.

Whats the point in Toronto bidding all.

[dave199]

Brans, you need to RELAX!!

[Brans]

It is very upsetting. I just want to no whether or not this practice happens. I am not familiar with the Pam Am Games bid process, and I know this does not occur in Olympics games bids or Commonwealth bid.

All I am asking is for a fair bid process. Pressure to change votes is a very serious matter.

[dave199]

No bidding process is totally 100% fair. Ie. Salt Lake City

Stop worrying, there's no need.

[Sir Rols]

It is very upsetting. I just want to no whether or not this practice happens. I am not familiar with the Pam Am Games bid process, and I know this does not occur in Olympics games bids or Commonwealth bid.

All I am asking is for a fair bid process. Pressure to change votes is a very serious matter.

Bran, all sorts of vote trading, and deal making and wider agendas take place in any bidding campaign for any large sports event. It's the name of the game. There's so many factors that come into play it's hard to say anything is dominant. It's what makes bid watching so fun, and what brings most of us here to observe and discuss. But for all the factors, the biggest essential is really to have a good solid bid as the foundation before other considerations and strategies come into play. Relax.

[Victor Mata]

Talking from a Brazilian perspective, there's not much fuss about who we're gonna support for 2015. I suppose you know about ODESUR - South American Sports Organization - so it's very likely Bogotá and Lima are lobbying to get the support of their closest neighbours. Colombia may be ahead of Peru in the race since the 2010 ODESUR Games are scheduled to the city of Medellín and Cali hosted the PanAms in 1971.

There's been talk about ODESUR (headed by BOC president Carlos Nuzman) supporting Rio 2016 bid so I wouldn't discount the possibility of Brazil supporting a south american bid if this is true.

But we also have to consider the Canadian support during the preparation of Rio 2007. Canadian Olympic Committee was very close to the games organizing committee. If I'm not wrong, Canada was the country that most frequently sent observation teams to check the progress of Rio 2007. And the Canadian team (specially the girls ) was SOOO friendly at the Opening Ceremony... Maybe these factors could turn the table in favor of Toronto.

There's nothing official though. That's all speculation. But I doubt the Olympic bid will have that strong effect on the 2015 PanAms. Brazil and US olympic ambitions have nothing to do with Toronto, Bogotá or Lima. This "consolation-prize-to-South-America" theory is a bit pointless since South America had a successful Pan American Games just 2 years ago, right?

[Faster]

Ecuador and Venezuela will support Peru over Colombia, Bolivia will probably as well, Chile will probably support Colombia.

Suriname and Guyana will probably support Toronto. As is any of the British Commonwealths

[jim jones]

Back during the 2010 Commonwealth bid we had literally a wall filled with headshots of each voting delegates. We mostly focused on the Caribbean and European votes. This time around the Caribbean voters will recognize Jagoda Pike.

Very common Method since Atlanta's successful bid for 1996. Sydney 2000 employed as well as Glasgow 2014 for the Commonwealth Games bid. This is were experience and hiring the expertise comes in play .

Roltel is right that it is basically politics involved from the standpoint of Quid Pro Quo and trading. That is how governments work.

Apple they would have had the RED, Yellow and Green light thing with the delegates for those headshots I would say. Dossiers are collected on the voters and usually people are assigned becoming their "friends" with great knowledge of a set number of delegates. REd Meaning don't waste the time the vote is another committees , Yellow meaning on the fence and should be a priority to work on and Green Meaning the vote is solid with our Bid . It could indeed be revise I can't remember ?

They know the entire background of the delegates that they are assigned . Their Family members , how old they are, What colleges they attended . They know the Tastes and Interests of the voters.

This is Where Toronto with Ms. Pike may indeed have a huge advantage tactically on the Ground in a Convention hall with her experience with the Commonwealth bid and they people she can draw on from for Toronto's failed Olympic Bids.

I like what Former IOC VP Dick Pound happened to Muse to some of his friends in Regards to Bid Books . "they are the biggest pieces of Fiction published" . Basically a fairy tail is cast by bid committees and there is little of the change that bid committees promise for post games in regards to participation in Healthy Life Styles.

Problem is Bran how can there be an objective judgment Really. Lima or Bogota can have as much negative or positive in regards to staging the Pan Am's as Toronto. All these elements can be different on both sides but how does one judge what is a better city to host ? Is it what type of wonderful Fiction they write and then can't deliver on?

The lines are really getting fine between cities in the world as the Internet and Knowledge is shared across the planet for development of Cities infrastructure. Personally if it was not Toronto I don't think Lima Peru would be a bad choice. Peru has never hosted . Colombia has hosted once and Bogota is 2400 metres above sea level putting stress on the athletes in mid season for a Games that has junior teams attend mostly .

The biggest problem for the two South American Cities is that they will perhaps be unfairly judged on Rio 2007 for some problem that few would know. I know of a Paso voter who voted for San Antonio for 2007 and regretted that his friends in the Caribbean voted for RIO 2007 when he was at the games. The complaints about the size of the Beds and Athletes Village along with Transportation Issues where things he had to deal with in regards to his athletes.

Rio it seems has to learn from those things. Whether they have for the 2016 remains to be seen.

Jim jones

[jim jones]

Ecuador and Venezuela will support Peru over Colombia, Bolivia will probably as well, Chile will probably support Colombia.

Suriname and Guyana will probably support Toronto. As is any of the British Commonwealths

Actually Suriname is not part of the British Commonwealth but they do indeed belong to Canoc . The Caribbean Association of National Olympic Committees.

The Body both Lima and Bogota stood up for the lobbying opportunity. Problem is for both those cities so very close to the Canoc meeting earlier this year is that appearing at the First Caribbean Games kind of sends a weird message. Toronto 2015 will be there as they have been for every chance to lobby . The Message from Lima and Bogota can be what ? We are inconsistent in Our Campaign so we will be inconsistent in both Venue Construction and Operations ?

Jim jones

[Apple]

Braley goes to bat for Hamilton

B.C. Lions owner one of 15 directors named to Pan Am Games bid board

March 12, 2009

John Kernaghan

The Hamilton Spectator

http://www.thespec.com/News/Local/article/528697

Hamilton has its man on the Pan Am Games bid board.

David Braley was one of 15 directors announced yesterday who will advise Toronto 2015 executives as they fashion the Golden Horseshoe bid.

"As David Peterson said at one time, I'll be in there fighting for Hamilton's interests," Braley said.

Bid chair Peterson said in a statement Braley and the others form "a very high-quality board, which will strengthen our bid."

The auto-parts businessman is a prime mover in pursuing the Games.

"I think I bring the ability to help plan and organize to the effort to win the bid," Braley said.

A bid backgrounder on the board identified him as a figure planted firmly in the business and sports worlds.

Braley owns the British Columbia Lions of the Canadian Football League and headed the highly successful 2003 Road World Cycling Championships in Hamilton.

"That's something we pushed for," said Mayor Fred Eisenberger. "We wanted him because of his passion for Hamilton and his ability in both business and sports."

Braley is familiar with many other board members, principally those with the Canadian Olympic Committee.

COC president Mike Chambers and Chris Rudge have strong international connections and former Olympian Charmaine Crooks worked with Braley on the 2003 Worlds.

"She's a wonderful person, bilingual and understands the needs of athletes," Braley said.

He pointed out the Pan Am board includes members with connections in the Caribbean and South America, where 39 of the 42 countries in the Pan Am movement are located.

Alvin Curling, former speaker of the Ontario legislature, was born in Jamaica and served as ambassador to the Dominican Republic.

And Marcio Froes, president of Labatt Breweries, is from Brazil and enjoys a network through parent company Interbrew, the biggest beer maker in South America.

Former Hamilton Spectator and Toronto Star publisher Jagoda Pike, Toronto 2015 president, is also on the board. She was in transit to Guadalajara, Mexico, for meetings of the executive board of the Pan American Sports Organization.

Prior to leaving, she said Toronto 2015 would make a 15-minute presentation to PASO executive.

She also hoped to tour venues being built for the 2011 Games in Guadalajara.

Pike said the southern Ontario bid is in a tough competition with Lima, Peru, and Bogota, Colombia.

It's possible the PASO meetings will determine site evaluation visits and the precise date for a vote on the 2015 Games.

Bid books detailing how the three cities will conduct the Games are due April 30.

Hamilton would stage track and field, cycling, volleyball and soccer events for the Pan Am Games, plus have a training pool at McMaster University.

[Brans]

What can Toronto learn from Winnipeg's winning bid. How did they go about winning their bids?

I really want Toronto to win this bid, and I want to know, how we can win them.

[jim jones]

What can Toronto learn from Winnipeg's winning bid. How did they go about winning their bids?

I really want Toronto to win this bid, and I want to know, how we can win them.

Problem is Brans I don't think there was even a Bid Competition for 1999 like many Pan am Games .

jim jones

[Brans]

This is a question for the members of this board. From speaking with different people what is the sense that you are feeling.

Is Toronto the front runner in this bid, and what advice would you give to Toronto to win over the majority of the voters.

I know these bids can be complex, however I get the feeling that is it Toronto's turn. Toronto winning can transform in Pan Am Games and the city.

What is the feeling you are getting from talking to people about this bid.

[jim jones]

This is a question for the members of this board. From speaking with different people what is the sense that you are feeling.

Is Toronto the front runner in this bid, and what advice would you give to Toronto to win over the majority of the voters.

I know these bids can be complex, however I get the feeling that is it Toronto's turn. Toronto winning can transform in Pan Am Games and the city.

What is the feeling you are getting from talking to people about this bid.

Well I am someone who is in great communications with an actual voter and he asked me my option of what Toronto and Southern Ontario had to offer. I said very simply the best opportunity for Exposure to the North American Public since Indianapolis 1987 or further back Chicago in the 1950's . I went onto say there is no bigger media market that the Pan Ams will ever come to in North America.

He has great connection to Toronto via business and that was his general thinking as well.

Jim jones