BrockUResearch: Consider This

Where thoughts and conversations come together.

The PanAm Games: a boost for the Niagara Region?

From the Centre for Sport Capacity at Brock University: Julie Stevens, Sport Management

Associate Professor and Director of the Center for Sport Capacity, Chris Charlebois, Business
Development and Operations Director with the Niagara Sport Commission and Shannon
Kerwin, Assistant Professor in the Department of Sport Management, Brock University.

Pan Am Games Fast Facts:

The excitement is building! Starting on July 10th, thousands of

athletes and their fans will be converging in Toronto, first for the
Pan Am Games and then the Parapan Am Games. Niagara will
be hosting events at two locations.
How will the Games benefit the Niagara Region?
* Athletes and spectators coming to the Niagara Region will
create business. For example, if you look at the Ontario Basketball Championships, two events over two weekends brought
in about 1,500 participants, resulting in around 750 room nights
and generating approximately 1.9 million dollars.
* Strategically, hosting large scale events like the Pan Am and
Parapan Am Games allows the region to put itself on the map
as a sport tourism destination.
* Volunteer opportunities created by hosting sporting events
have been shown to be beneficial to the well-being of resdents.
* The Games have the potential to inspire and encourage
physical activity in the Region.
* The Games have an opportunity to leave a legacy that
members of the Region can be proud of.

More than 7000 athletes from

across the Americas and
Caribbean will compete
in 36 Pam Am sports and
15 Parapan Am sports
competitions
The Pan American Games
are the worlds third largest
international multi-sports
Games
20,000 volunteers are needed
to help to assist with the
Games
The Pan Am Games will take
place from July 10 to 26 and
the Parapan Am Games from
August 7 to 15
The Niagara Region is hosting
two events:
1. Canoe/Kayak Sprint in
Welland from July 10-14
2. Rowing in St. Catharines
from July 11-15
More information at
www.toronto.2015.org

Our true hope is that

the Games will leave
a lasting legacy in the

Key Takeaways from the Podcast

community and inspire

* Sport events that occur in Niagara of any size are important.

We need to understand their and recognize that there are both
social and economic benefits for the Region.
* The idea of crafting a legacy is multi-faceted. The creation of
versatile facilities, the sense of community as a direct outcome
of the event, the capacity to host future events are just a few
ways a wonderful legacy can be left after a sporting event!

people of all ages and

abilities to become more
active and participate in
sport more frequently
-Chris Charlebois