Caribbean Entrepreneurs Need for Pan Am Games 2015

Entrepreneurial Opps for Caribbean Businesses in 2015 Pan Am Games

By William Doyle-Marshall

Organizers of the 2015 Pan Am Games say they are searching for entrepreneurs from the Caribbean and Latin American communities to be involved. Speaking to a recent on-line press conference officials expressed a desire to make contact with small, medium and diversity companies who wish to participate in the forthcoming historic event in the Greater Toronto Area.

Katherine Henderson, senior vice-president, marketing & revenue told journalists to enable the festival’s strategy of believing that its supply chain needs to reflect the citizens out of the Golden Horseshoe an advisory council has been established. It is referred to as the Supplier Diversity Advisory Council and it represents different constituents within the supply chain communities in the Greater Golden Horseshoe in Ontario. Henderson reported some of the representatives are minority communities as well as the Aboriginal communities, the Chamber of Commerce for the Lesbian, Gay, Bi-Sexual and Trans-genders) LGBTQ and representatives for the women entrepreneurs.” 

 

                                               Original PanAm Games 2015 announcement

                                                  by former Premier Dalton McGuinty

   In its outreach efforts Henderson said about 200 sessions conducted by this advisory council which helps access the community. In addition it has also launched, working with the advisory council a number of networking opportunities, bringing the small to medium sized entrepreneurial companies together to meet with tier one or the larger organizations to help understand if there is any partnering opportunities.

Because the Pan Am Games is a new venture 2015 Pan Am Games administrators were told most of the small entrepreneurs in the Caribbean and other ethnic communities may need to be told about the ways that they can be involved in the games. In addition to the major corporations being involved, there should be a way to include small Caribbean entrepreneurs so they could take advantage of the opportunities being talked about here through 2015 Pan Am Games. At the moment they may not be thinking of being part of the games but maybe a little prodding could result in them becoming participants. Ian Troop, President and Chief Executive Officer of the games encourages anybody who thinks they could be a supplier to be aggressive and register on the games website.

The opening ceremonies will be at Rogers Center July 10 for Pan Am Games will be produced by Cirque de Soleil and the Para Pan American Games August 7 at the York Athletic Stadium. The TORONTO 2015 Pan Am/Parapan Am Games Organizing Committee (TO2015) has the responsibility of planning, managing and delivering the Games. Igniting the spirit through a celebration of sport and culture is the committee’s mission. The TORONTO 2015 Pan American Games will take place July 10–26 and the Parapan American Games August 7–14.

Questioned about the proposed three legacy facilities to be used during the games Troop said “Inside these agreements (for the facilities) – and it makes good sense whether it be Milton or the Aquatic Center in Scarborough or York (University), they are serving the communities and they are also serving the owners’ requirements and elite sports.”

Regarding the Aquatic Center Troop said there is time set aside for the community use, for the university use as well as for elite sports use. Concerns have been surfacing that after the facilities are used for the games York University for instance will take over the Track and Field Center and it will not be available to the community as it is now. There seems to be some mis-understanding or lack of understanding on that matter. The CEO stressed this initiative was led by Sports Canada with Toronto 2015 involvement. The three venues that have been selected are the Velodrome in Milton, the York University track and field facility and the aquatic center and field house at University of Toronto in Scarborough. It’s meant to supplement the existing operation and support unto itself. But it is meant to have these venues serve their communities as well as filling unique infrastructure gaps.