Pan Am games underway

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The 2015 Pan Am Games have been in the making for nearly six years. At a cost of more than $2.5t billion. Today Team Canada officials said our athletes can’t wait to get started. But as Scot Urquhart reports, the question of the day seems to be whether Canadian spectators are ready, or interested.

Pan Am Games President Marcel Aubut says – these games are a big deal. “With more athletes, and sports, than the Olympic games in 2010, Calgary in ’88 and Montreal in ’76.”

While the hype may be bigger, actual enthusiasm from the residents of Toronto seems to be somewhat lacking. So much so, that even the New York Times proclaimed: Games Land With a Thud.

Still only 800, 000, out of 1.4 million tickets have been sold so far. Even with a discount ticket promotion in play. That works against the ultimate goal of using these games as a dress rehearsal for a future Toronto based Olympic Games: “as we get ready to open the Pan American Games in Toronto, we will confirm Canada’s capability, passion and commitment to hold the biggest sporting event in the world” said Mr. Aubut. “Our aim is for Canada’s highest finish ever at a Pan American Games…which means top 2”

And the hope is that a big performance from the Canadian team, may be able to accomplish what six years of hype, and $2.5 billion has not. To make make these games an international success.