Marianas recommended as Olympic training sites

By MARK RABAGO
REPORTER

A feasibility study by international consulting company Tucker & Associates has recommended Saipan and Guam as training sites for the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing.

Tucker & Associates chairman William Tucker said in an email to the Saipan Tribune that his company has forwarded the feasibility study touting Saipan and Guam’s possibility as sites for acclimating training not only to the National Olympic Committee of the United States but also to the respective NOCs of Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Mexico, and the United Kingdom.

Tucker said his company believes there is a good possibility that a number of Olympians will use the two islands’ sports facilities to prepare themselves for Beijing and they have already heard some positive feedback from Australia, Canada, and the U.K.

“Both Saipan and Guam are U.S. territories close to Beijing with a similar time zone, climate and altitude to Beijing. In addition, as a U.S. territory there would be an ease of entry and exit for U.S. athletes. The same currency, language, etc. is also a positive for U.S. athletes,” noted Tucker.

Tucker said a draft of the feasibility study on Saipan and Guam as training sites for the Beijing Olympics has already been sent for comments to some executives of the U.S. Olympic Committee as well as the offices of Saipan Gov. Juan N. Babauta, Guam Gov Felix Camacho, and the presidents of the Northern Marianas College and the University of Guam.

In preparing for the feasibility study, Tucker said that Tucker & Associates catalogued the sports facilities on Saipan and Guam and met with a number of National Governing Bodies of the various Olympic sports that are primarily located in Indianapolis and Colorado Springs, in addition to executives from USOC.

He went on to say that his company has talked to all of the summer Olympic NGBs with the exception of USA Pentathlon.

Tucker himself and Fred Radewagen spent a few days on Saipan and Guam late last year and made an ocular inspection of the two islands’ sports facilities. Division of Sports and Recreation director Tony Rogolifoi accompanied them om Saipan.

On Saipan, Tucker and Radewagen gave good marks to the NMC Gymnasium, the Marianas High School Gymnasium, the state-of-the-art track and field facility and the soccer field at the Oleai Sports Complex.

In an assessment report submitted to DSR and the Department of Community and Cultural Affairs, Tucker & Associates said the NMC Gym is in excellent condition and could be used for basketball, volleyball, and wrestling. It also praised the MHS Gym for being a first-class facility, which could also serve as venue for the same four sports assigned to the NMC Gym.

The company also said that aside from the soccer field needing lights, the facility is in good condition and could host soccer and football.

Tucker & Associates was most impressed with the Oleai Track and Field Facility, which it termed as “excellent, new, and meets international standards.” In addition, it said the all-weather track could be used for all track and field events.

Tucker & Associates, however, said improvements should be made on the rest of the sports facilities on Saipan, namely the Francisco M. Palacios Baseball Field and the adjacent softball at the Oleai complex, the Kan Pacific Baseball Field in Marpi, and other small public and private facilities around the island.

The assessment report also took note of some of the improvements and new sports facilities planned for the near future.

The U.S. Parks Service is set to expand from four to six the tennis courts at the American Memorial Park early this year, with one court to be built to Davis Cup specifications.

Swimming officials, meanwhile, are still waiting for funding to build two new Olympic-size swimming pools with Olympic diving specifications. The current facility used by the Saipan Swim Club is the Kan Pacific Swimming Pool in Marpi, which has seen better years.

Tucker & Associates is a McLean-VA-based company that specializes in international trade, strategic planning, government affairs, and public relations. Its clients include companies in the U.S. and other countries.