Toronto 2015 Pan American Games

[Filip]

Too bad the Star hasn't run one of their consolidated 'this is what foreign media is saying about the games' articles.

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

Too bad the Star hasn't run one of their consolidated 'this is what foreign media is saying about the games' articles.

Indeed. I can't help but laugh at the NYT pre-games piece on how Toronto lacks enthusiasm - who's laughing now, especially with Boston fresh in their minds?

AoD

 

[Tuscani01]

Too bad the Star hasn't run one of their consolidated 'this is what foreign media is saying about the games' articles.

I took a look on my own. Consensus seems to be that we did a pretty good job as host. The closing ceremony even got some attention on BBC, thanks to Kanye's mic toss.

There are threads for the games in the latin forums on SkyscraperCity too that go into hundreds of pages. People there seemed to have enjoyed the show we put on for the past two weeks.

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

I am quite sure we've raised our profile quite significantly in Latin America.

AoD

 

[Filip]

I am quite sure we've raised our profile quite significantly in Latin America.

AoD

And with dreams of becoming an even bigger, more important alpha city - this is the stuff you can't put a price on.

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

And with dreams of becoming an even bigger, more important alpha city - this is the stuff you can't put a price on.

Well we still have to capitalize on the increased profile - Brazil, Argentina, Chile etc are all emergent economies - it totally does not hurt for them to get to know us and our strengths better.

AoD

 

[Tuscani01]

Well we still have to capitalize on the increased profile - Brazil, Argentina, Chile etc are all emergent economies - it totally does not hurt for them to get to know us and our strengths better.

AoD

I've been traveling quite a bit the past few months and have noticed a HUGE amount of Brazilians are suddenly touring the world. Every hostel I stayed at was full of people from Brazil. Even in Shanghai, I was noticing Portuguese speaking people all around me.

These games will definitely help us capitalize on that emerging market, and it is perfect timing since the market has suddenly exploded.

I'm actually still in contact with a few that I met in Portugal who are planning on visiting Toronto next year. Can't wait!

 

[MetroMan]

I've been traveling quite a bit the past few months and have noticed a HUGE amount of Brazilians are suddenly touring the world. Every hostel I stayed at was full of people from Brazil. Even in Shanghai, I was noticing Portuguese speaking people all around me.

These games will definitely help us capitalize on that emerging market, and it is perfect timing since the market has suddenly exploded.

I'm actually still in contact with a few that I met in Portugal who are planning on visiting Toronto next year. Can't wait!

You're right. I've noticed the same. Pardon the slightly racist stereotype but Brazilians are the new Chinese. They really are everywhere in the world that's considered a typical tourist attraction.

I have friends in Brazil and they said that the PanAm Games had a very high profile for them and that Toronto was prominently featured in the coverage. They've decided to come visit in September.

Many Brazilians already know about Toronto but during the games, it's become a top destination to visit. I expect that we'll be getting a much larger number of South American tourists for years to come. For that alone, hosting the PanAm Games was worth it from an economic standpoint. It was an excellent investment.

 

[canmark]

Some of my photos from the Pan Am Games: Badminton at the Markham Pan Am Centre, Swimming at the Aquatics Centre in Scarborough, Table Tennis at the Markham Pan Am Centre, Basketball at the Ryerson Athletic Centre.

 

[Flint]

I've noticed a lot of Brazilians in Toronto recently as well. In December I met a group of about six here learning English. I ended up going out with them for the next month and became their personal tour guide. All of them were in their early 20s so I guess they were happy to have met someone their age who was able to show them around the city. Their only complaint was the lack of a vibrant nightlife and the early as hell last call.

I still keep in contact with them and they're in awe with how much the city changes in the summer.

They've been following the games as well. So far it's all positive I've heard.

Is it just me or has the amount of South Americans in Toronto recently gone up quite a bit?

 

[Tuscani01]

Some good reviews of Toronto and the Pan Am Games we put on in this Edmonton Sun article:

Victor Lopez was preparing for a busy weekend in Edmonton on Thursday morning when his daughter, a television news personality in Los Angeles, called with a couple observations.

“Dad, the Pan Ams were very successful, right? Because the L.A. Times was carrying every day,” Lolita Lopez told her father, the Association of Panamerican Athletics president.

“When the L.A. Times, New York Times, and Washington Post highlight your events, that means you're very important.”

Toronto 2015 changed the perspective of many who looked upon the Pan-Am Games as a second-rate event. Ticket sales totalled more than one million, while the host nation enjoyed a record medal haul.

“I have to give full credit to Toronto, Toronto did a fantastic job,” said Jerry Bouma, Chair of the Organization Committee for PAJAC 2015.

“I spent a couple days there and I saw the depth and breadth of what was going on, and Toronto and Ontarians really embraced that event and realized how significant it was and how valuable it is in terms of the cultural experience and just the community experience,” continued Bouma.

http://www.edmontonsun.com/2015/07/30/junior-pan-ams-walk-into-glow-from-toronto-pan-am-games

 

[DarnDirtyApe]

Is it just me or has the amount of South Americans in Toronto recently gone up quite a bit?

You may not have noticed it before the games but there are always a relatively high number of South American young people floating around the city. They come on exchange programs or to study English over the summer. This article refers to a year-round program but obviously people tend to get out and about more in the summer so the presence is more visible. Kids you see on the subway or walking down the street may not be here for Pan Am at all...

http://news.utoronto.ca/brazilian-students-bring-dance-joy-and-culture-toronto

 

[Flint]

You may not have noticed it before the games but there are always a relatively high number of South American young people floating around the city. They come on exchange programs or to study English over the summer. This article refers to a year-round program but obviously people tend to get out and about more in the summer so the presence is more visible. Kids you see on the subway or walking down the street may not be here for Pan Am at all...

http://news.utoronto.ca/brazilian-students-bring-dance-joy-and-culture-toronto

Hey thanks for the read!

I'm talking more in general over the past few years. I've noticed more and more South Americans in Toronto than before. It may be simply that I haven't noticed before but it happens all the time where I go out and meet people from all over South America.

Is it a new trend? Or was I just oblivious to it before? Either way I like it. Great, fun people. Great food. Great cultures.

 

[Edllguy]

Could someone please help me understand the ticket and seating process that they are using for the Parapan Am games. I got the tickets that are $105.00 each a long time ago. Now I get an email from Ticketmaster that I am to pick up my tickets on the day of the event and 2 hours before the event starts. They stated show up with your credit card and photo ID. I then read the fine print on line and they said you do not know your seat for your section till you show up. The earlier that you arrive the better seat you will get for your section. In other words if you show up late you could get a crappy seat that you don't want. This is all confusing to me. I don't go to a lot of events through Ticketmaster so I'm not familiar with the process.

I liked the Rogers Centre tickets that was mailed to me for the opening of the main PanAm games ceremony but this is different.

Also, I don't know how to get into the CIBC stadium site. I drove there today and asked security where is the main entrance on the day of the event, they stated they don't know. I will be arriving from North side of the stadium or Steeles.

Please help.

 

[Tuscani01]

It's a small venue with only two entrances. You can park at any York U parking lot and walk to the stadium.

It sounds like the event is general admission though, so you would indeed need to show up early to get the best seats.