23 July 2003

Pan Am Games Transport update
The Organizing Committee of the Pan Am Games announced that the western side of the Avenida José Ortega y Gasset will be closed on 1 August and 17 August, on occasion of the Pan Am Games. Vehicles in the west-east direction along 27 de Febrero will not be allowed to turn left on Ortega y Gasset. Left turns may be made by using Avenida Tiradentes instead.
As reported in the Listin Diario, Oneximo Gonzalez, in charge of transportation for the Games, said that on Avenida John F. Kennedy the two lanes closest to the Olympic Center will be used for Games authorized vehicles. The tunnel and other lanes will be open to the general public.
Gonzalez also says they have requested that the universities close for the duration of the Games and that businesses open later in the day to reduce traffic during the 1-17 August period. He pointed to statistics that show that from 7am to 9am some 5,400 vehicles use the Juan Bosch Bridge, but that if businesses were to open, a reduction of traffic by 1,400 vehicles could be achieved. Gonzalez has requested that 1 and 17 August be declared holidays.
According to a story in El Caribe, the north-south direction (from Villa Mella to the Malecón) of the Ave. Máximo Gomez will be closed on the opening and closing days of the Games. The south-north side of the avenue, however, will remain open to the general public. On the remaining days, from 2-16 August, road access will be as normal.
One area to avoid for the duration of the Games is the Las Americas-27 de Febrero Avenue, despite the fact they will not be closed off to general traffic.


Two doors to the JPD Olympic Center
Listín Diario reports that the Organizing Committee has decided to leave open only two access doors to the Juan Pablo Duarte Olympic Center, the main center for the staging of Pan Am Games competitions. Access will be gained by Avenida José Ortega y Gasset (for VIP pass bearers only) and by the door on Avenida 27 de Febrero.


Foreign protestors to be deported
Major General Gustavo Jorge García has warned foreign political activists that there will be little or no tolerance for protests staged against the governments of Cuba or Venezuela. Jorge García, as head of security for the Pan Am Games, has distributed a pamphlet called the Ten Commandments, and added to the reporters from the Listin Diario that he would place political protesters in jail until the end of the Games. Foreigners would be deported according to Dominican laws. García said that he possessed reports from the Dominican Ministry of Foreign Affairs and intelligence units, indicating the presence of groups from Cuba and Venezuela preparing to provoke incidents at the various venues and in the streets near the installations.


Pan Am Games schedules & ticketing
Felix Sánchez, Dominican Republic’s best chance at a gold medal, is scheduled to compete Friday, 8 August at around 5:30pm. Tickets to attend the event range from RD$200 to RD$80, depending on seating.
During a press conference today, the Organizing Committee of the Pan American Games released the updated information on events schedules, ticket prices and where to purchase these.
A call center (Tel. 809 472-3113) has been set up to take reservations for ceremonies as of today, and as of Friday, 25 July, for all other events, too. The call center is taking individual reservations, but Wendi Foster clarified that the call center is primarily for companies or individuals who want to buy tickets in large numbers. “That way, they can do the reservation over the phone and go and collect the tickets at a Supermercado Nacional, saving transaction time at the point of sale.”
As of Friday, 25 July tickets will also be sold at the seven Supermercado Nacional stores located nationwide and at the Jumbo (Mega Centro) in Santo Domingo.

As of Friday, 1 August, tickets will be on sale at the main parks, too. These are the Parque del Este, Juan Pablo Duarte Olympic Center, the Quisqueya Ball Park and the Teo Cruz Boxing Arena.

A brochure listing all sports events is scheduled to be distributed this week in the Diario Libre and Listín Diario and made available at the Nacional and Jumbo (Santo Domingo) stores, according to the Organizing Committee.

According to the Organizing Committee, there is free admission for:

Badminton (UASD Pavilion)
Bowling (Sebelen Bowling Center)
Dressage and jumping events (Palmarejo Equestrian Center)
In-line hockey (Club Mauricio Báez)
Shooting (Higuero and Sans Souci facilities)
Triathlon (Sans Souci)
Marathon (city streets)
Rowing and canoeing (Rincón Dam)
Mountain biking (Jarabacoa)
Water skiing (Isabela River)
Road cycling (city streets),
Skating artistic (Club Mauricio Báez
Skating speed combined spring & distance (Centro de los Héroes)
Modern pentathlon (Feria Ganadera and Club Banco Central)
Pelota vasca (Juan Pablo Duarte Olympic Center)
Sailing (Santo Domingo Yacht Club)

An events schedule and pricing can downloaded at http://www.panamgames2003.com/buying_event_tickets.html

“General” refers to General Admission, so that the ticket will entitle its bearer to entry into the venue and seating in that section will be first-come-first-served. “Reserved” refers to a reserved seat or area.

Where there is more than one price listed indicates that the venue is divided into different price categories, depending on location, proximity to the field of play, etc.

The ceremonies are the only two events where “reserved” means a reserved seat. As when one goes to the theater, the organizers want the public to sit in the seat number, row, and area depicted on their ticket. For the other “reserved” venues, a specific area is referred to and depends on the price category.

Source: http://dr1.com

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