Grant eyed for a joint NMI-Guam training site for Beijing Olympics

The Office of the Insular Affairs has reportedly agreed to release some $3,000 to pay for a study that would look at how Guam and CNMI can position themselves as training areas for the upcoming 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, according to public information officer Peter Callaghan.

He said Gov. Juan N. Babauta will sign today the grant papers for a feasibility study on how the Northern Marianas and Guam could be marketed as a training areas for the Olympians.

Callaghan said the money would be used to determine whether both the CNMI and Guam have sufficient facilities and whether an upgrade is necessary to lure participants in the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics to come to the two islands to train before the actual game begin.

“The study would help the OIA to determine if Guam and CNMI can be used for the training, whether we have sufficient sports facilities and if an upgrade is necessary. That would help us determine if we need improvements also,” said Callaghan.

If the CNMI and Guam’s facilities are found sufficient, the two islands would benefit from the influx of tourists and participants who would be staying on the islands for several weeks to train.

The athletes could also enjoy the tropical climate that is a benefit for round-the-clock training and preparation.

The International Olympic Committee selected Beijing in July 2001 to host the 2008 Olympic Games. As host, the city of Beijing is expected to benefit considerably from the massive investment spending in the pipeline and the numerous job opportunities it will create.

The Beijing municipal government has already announced an ambitious plan to spend $20 billion in the next seven years to modernize the city’s infrastructure. This translates into an average annual spending of about $3 billion, which is equivalent to 10 percent of the city’s GDP in 2000. The sum will be spent on developing sports facilities, public transportation, and communication networks. Apart from the infrastructure spending, a further $12 billion will be ploughed into environmental protection projects.

The hosting of the sporting event will also expose China to greater international scrutiny and foster better understanding about the country. Through engaging China closer with the wider world, the Olympic Games will help strengthen the forces of liberalism in the country and hasten the pace of social, if not political, change.