Hamilton to host mini-athletes’ village for Pan Am
http://www.thespec.com/news-story/48...ge-for-pan-am/
Hamilton will play emergency host to hundreds of soccer players, coaches and team staff during next year's Pan Am Games.
Pan Am planners expect to arrange a satellite athletes' village at McMaster University to defuse concerns about possible highway delays moving soccer players and team staff between the main athletes' base in Toronto and the new Pan Am stadium in Hamilton.
The long-rumoured decision to set up shop in Hamilton went public Tuesday when the province announced it would have to spend an extra $74 million on the Games, which are already expected to cost $2.5 billion all in.
City and university officials are excited about the economic spinoffs of hosting 400 players, coaches and officials for two weeks of soccer — even if local policing duties and costs grow.
"That's hundreds of players and officials at Mac, but a lot of their families will stay here, too, which will be great for the hospitality industry," said Councillor Lloyd Ferguson, who chairs the city's Pan Am preparation committee.
The Spectator couldn't reach the head of Hamilton's policing effort for the Games Tuesday, Superintendent Dan Kinsella.
But he previously told the Spectator an athletes' village would require a more robust policing effort to reflect extra security and traffic challenges. Right now, local police are responsible for anything outside a security cordon encircling the Pan Am stadium.
Ferguson, who is also on Hamilton's police board, said the service is negotiating costs associated with an athletes' village, but added those figures aren't finalized or public.
Pan Am is also still negotiating agreement details — including cost — with the university, said spokesperson Gord Arbeau. But he said summer talks established the university should have needed space next July.
"It's pretty exciting for the university. This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to be involved in a world class games," said Arbeau.
He said student residences will be used to house players and team staff and the university will provide food at various on-campus restaurants and dining halls. Arbeau said the details of who provides campus security — and how that effort affects students — "are pieces we still need to finalize."
The city may also need to update its Pan Am transportation plan, which right now includes a bus shuttle circuit for soccer fans between GO stations, the stadium and downtown hotels.
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