Santiago, Chile Tuesday night made a last hour decision to submit an application to host the 2023 Pan American Games forcing Buenos Aires to compete for the honor it thought it would be awarded without contest.
The Argentine capital confirmed its intention to bid for the Games last week when it appeared no other city would come forward. Both cities sent letters of intent to the Pan American Sports Organization (PASO) by the midnight deadline.
Buenos Aires is preparing to host the Youth Olympic Games in 2018 while Santiago gained experience when the city hosted the South American Games in 2013. Santiago had been a favorite to win the 2019 Pan Am Games bid but instead lost the honor to Lima, Peru – where PASO will choose the winner of the 2023 race.
Buenos Aires played host to the inaugural edition of the Pan Am Games in 1951, but Santiago has yet to stage the Games.
The previous Pan Am Games were hosted in Toronto, Canada in 2015.
The two cities are to confirm their applications by April 30th with a (USD) $500,000 deposit and the completion of initial documents.
