2015 Pan American Games - Bidding Process

Bidding Process

The Canadian Olympic Committee chose Toronto and the surrounding region as the Canadian candidate. No other Canadian city showed interest in staging the games, therefore Toronto was selected without a vote. Toronto's interest in bidding came after failing to land the 1996 Summer Olympics and the 2008 Summer Olympics, which were held in Atlanta and Beijing respectively.

The Pan American Sports Organization (PASO) made an evaluation visit to Toronto between August 30 and 31, 2009. PASO created the Evaluation Commission, as the International Olympic Committee had done prior to the bidding for the 2008 Summer Olympics. Host cities would often fly members of PASO to their city. The lack of oversight and transparency often led to allegations of money for votes. Afterward, changes brought forth by PASO (the same as the IOC) bidding rules were tightened, and more focused on technical aspects of candidate cities. The team analyzed the candidate city features and provided its feedback back to voting members of PASO. The evaluation committee was headed by Julio Maglione, a member of the IOC representing Uruguay and the head of Fédération Internationale de Natation (FINA), the international swimming federation.

Day one of the visit began on Sunday, August 30, and saw PASO officials visit the future home of the new Canadian Sport Institute Ontario, including an aquatics centre, at the University of Toronto Scarborough; the Metro Toronto Convention Centre – proposed media and broadcast centre, and event host; York University’s Rexall Centre and the Hershey Centre in Mississauga. Day two on August 31st had the Evaluation Officials visiting McMaster University’s David Braley Centre in Hamilton, view the Niagara-region water courses by helicopter, and continue the day with visits to Roy Thomson Hall, BMO Field, Direct Energy Centre, Ricoh Coliseum, and finally to the Rogers Centre, where the opening and closing ceremonies events would take place. After the visit Maglione said, "Toronto has all the conditions to play host to the Pan American Games"

Toronto won the bidding process to host the Pan and Parapan American Games by a vote of the Pan American Sports Organization on November 6, 2009, at the PASO Session held in Guadalajara, Mexico. The result was announced by PASO President Mario Vázquez Raña. Toronto faced two other finalists shortlisted Lima, Peru, and Bogotá, Colombia. Toronto earned 33 votes while contesting candidate cities Lima and Bogotá received 11 and 7 votes, respectively.