The Medellin Travel Blog: Where to Stay and What to Do» Botero

South American Games Exceed Expectations for Medellin

Andrew Campion — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 21:10:21 +0000

(ATR) Organizers of the South American Games underway in Medellin, Colombia say the event is exceeding expectations, helping to prove the city is a safe, suitable host for major sports events.

“The whole organization, I think everyone is happy” said Andres Botero, IOC member and a vice president of ODESUR, the continental organization that oversees the 15-nation games.

“The sporting venues are top-class, I would they are at Pan American level, maybe above Pan American levels,” said Botero.

IOC members such as Ivan Dibos of Peru told Around the Rings the level of organization and quality of venues surpassed what was necessary for a games this size.

Staging a major sporting in Medellin was a lifelong goal of Andres Botero. (ATR)

Botero said he was also surprised at the enthusiasm and interest of Paisas, as residents of Medellin are known,

The South American Games, Botero claims, are a chance to show Medellin and Colombia’s transformation over the last decade.

“We’ve shown the world the city, that went through so many difficulties in the past that was looked as the crime capital is now the sports capital of the world.

“That’s the image we really wanted to show, we really worked to improve the safety in the city, in the country, this is a culmination of al those efforts to show the world an excellent sports event, an excellent sports organization so people can think of our city in a different way.”

For years Medellin was plagued by drug cartel crime, kidnappings and murders part of daily life. Botero said the city was too dangerous at one point to make the 30 minute trip to the airport because guerillas would kidnap travelers. Last year there were no reported kidnappings and the murder rate has fallen dramatically.

The biggest challenge Botero said, was convincing the previous mayor just to bid for the South American Games.
The city and state government are both on board as Games sponsors.

Staging the event will cost around $170 million to $180 million. Of that, 70 percent comes from the government ,Botero said.

Coca-Cola is the largest private sponsor; Coke president Muhtar Kent attended the opening ceremony March 19.

Botero said the lasting legacy of the Games will be Medellin turning into a sports capital.

“We have world class venues. Every sport now wants to hold a world cup or international event or something in Medellin. So they found a new place to stage events.”

At the opening ceremony Friday, Colombian President Alvaro Uribe urged Colombia to bid for larger sporting events in the future, naming the Youth Olympic Games and the Pan American Games.

Uribe said a Colombian bid for the 2026 World Cup is in the works.

Botero said following the South American Games, the city will consider a bid for the 2018 Youth Olympic Games or the Pan American Games in 2019. He will lead a task force investigating the feasibility of both bids. A decision will be based on which “can be easier to win for the city”. A decision will come “in the next couple months”.

Colombia finished first, second and third in the men’s cycling road race, a premier event at the Games.

Bogota unsuccessfully bid for the 2015 Pan Ams, awarded in November to Toronto.

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The South American Games arrive in Medellin

Andrew Campion — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 03:20:30 +0000

The flame of the 9th South American Games has arrived in Medellin (Colombia), the host city of these Games, which will be held from 19 to 30 March 2010. This flame arrived from Tiwanaku (Bolivia), where it had been handed over to the mayor of Medellin, Alonso Salazar, in the presence of the President of the Bolivian Republic, Evo Morales. The flame, carried by athletes Natalia Sánchez and Víctor Hugo Ortega, was brought to Pueblito Paisa, the city’s emblematic site, where it was welcomed by representatives of the government and sports authorities, including IOC member and Vice-President of the South American Sports Organisation, Andrés Botero, Culture Secretary Luis Miguel Usuga, Education Secretary Felipe Gil, the Director of the Municipal Sports Institute, Andrés García; and numerous athletes, sports leaders and journalists. Furthermore, it is worth noting that the television broadcast signal for the South American Games will be distributed on a free-to-air basis. This is a first in the history of these Games.

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Turibus: An easy option to view the city in one day

Andrew Campion — Thu, 25 Dec 2008 18:19:17 +0000

The city tour TURIBUS is a service inspired by the popular tourist bus routes offered in other major cities including London, Barcelona, Orlando amongst many others and is now available in Medellin.

With an exclusive route, you will be able to visit the principle attractions of the capital of Antioquia with a professional guided service with panoramic views. TURIBUS is a new and important tourist option for Medellín, which enables you to get to know the spectacular city of Medellin.

Turibus offers several different tours apart from it’s regular route that leaves from El Parque de El Poblado, Plaza Botero y Parque de los Pies Descalzos including night tours, regional tours to San Fe de Antioquia, religious tours and a special Christmas lights tour.

The cost of the tour is $15,000 pesos and lasts for 4-5 hours with several stops along the way. Tours start from 9AM and due to the duration of the tour it’s best to buy your ticket and get on board before 1PM but tours run until 5PM. For more information visit the official website.

http://www.turibuscolombia.com

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The Christmas Lights, Medellin 2008

Andrew Campion — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 02:49:17 +0000

This year in Medellin, 14 and a half million lights will illuminate the 27 kilometers of the Christmas route at a cost of $6200 million (2.7 million USD). The theme this year is called “Medellin, lights of life.” which EPM will proudly display to locals and visiting tourists from around the world from December 7 until January the 12th as a tribute life, the land and those who inhabit it. It is also a message of reflection to remind us to look after and protect the earth. A message that will be narrated by 14 million multicolored lights.

Although everyone is able to enjoy the lights from the “Night of Candles”, the 7th of December the inauguration of the lighting will be an unparalleled event taking place on the 18th of December with a free concert hosted by the singer-songwriter Juanes.

It will be a spectacular music festival next to the Medellin River and all the lighting this year will be a tribute” said the mayor Alonso Salazar, who announced the official appearance of the famous artist.

The Christmas route will comprise of tons of paper foil and brightly colored waterfalls, thousands of miles of meshes and monumental steel structures. Those are the main elements to be used this December, although starting this year EPM will not include in its Christmas lighting any kind of incandescent bulb as a show of respect for the environment.

50 sites have already been lit as the traditional lighting of the route will start at the Teatro Pablo Tobon Uribe, pass by La Playa Avenue Plaza Botero, Carabobo to San Juan, and will converge at the Medellin River, from San Juan to the Guayaquil Bridge. Also incorporated will be La Alpujarra, Plaza Mayor, The EPM Building, the Parque de los Pies Descalzos and Cerro Nutibara.

The lighting will extend to all the major neighborhoods of the city, parks and other places of interest to add around 50 new sites from last year. However, as has never before happened, EPM has opted to renew some of the lighting elements from the previous year for use in other cities or to be installed on sites that have never before been part of this urban artwork. This will be possible without generating additional costs to the project.

Among the new sites are Las Palmas, 33rd Avenue to Medellin River, the aqueduct tanks of EPM located in strategic locations in some neighborhoods, the interior of the Botanical Garden “Joaquin Antonio Uribe” and the Parque Norte among others.

The sum of Christmas lights, 2008

1.000 volt spotlights                                                                       1400
Incandescente waterfalls                                                                 7.000
Brightly lit mesh                                                                             5.000
Cable lighting                                                                                 300 kilómetros
Papel foil                                                                                        5.8 toneladas
Iron                                                                                                220 toneladas
Steel Cable                                                                                     310 kilómetros
Posts (between 8 y 14 meters tall)                                                    515
Electricity towers (25 meters tall)                                                     2
Fibre Optic towers (25 meters tall)                                                   60
25 x 25m LED Screen                                                                       1
1400 wattt spotlights                                                                       3
Lightbulbs                                                                                       14´500 millones
Employees                                                                                       1.000
Total Cost                                                                                      $6.200 millones

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