Blog #5- Week 2

 In this post, I am going to talk a bit about one of my main projects during my time with the Sports Commission. As I touched on previously, planning is extremely important in an industry like this. Even years out from a given event, it is important to get frameworks set and even some specifics, because things like venues and equipment need a far out notice. I am doing work specifically for the Pan American Masters Games, which is going to be held in Cleveland in 2024. This is arguably one of the biggest events Cleveland has ever hosted, and is bound to bring the most economic impact EVER at once to the area of Northeast Ohio. I am currently working on a giant google doc that includes information on every sporting event that the Games will include. This ranges from basketball, swimming, and baseball, to sports like pickleball, curling, and coastal rowing. All of those obviously have very different needs in terms of venues and equipment, so it is important to get a jumpstart on that planning. For each sport, I start by researching the IOC (International Olympic Committee) rules. Every sport has an individual governing body, meaning they can make decisions within that sport, but the Committee has a set of rules for each sport that the Olympics go by, meaning an event like this would want to follow suit. I mark down some basics as well as important measurements/dimensions of needed equipment or a court/field. I also find an aerial shot of each venue option (there are multiple at this point, and a next step is using some of my work to narrow it down) and paste it in. This way, each venue can be seen side by side and it is easier to compare and notice details. I also utilize information from the past from the National Senior Games in 2013 that the Sports Commission also put on, and there are a lot of similarities there to work off of. I go into the files and find a projected number of athletes and competition days as well as any recommendations (pros vs. cons) from that event in order to make sure any corrections or additions are noticed for 2024. Additionally, not all of the venues are downtown, which means that different hotel locations are needed. So for those farther locations, I find suitable nearby hotel options and calculate their distance from the venue and from downtown. Transportation and distance both are at play here, so it is important to check the surroundings and find good options. I have more work I will be helping the Commission with when I finish this part, and I can't wait to share more about it!