Upgraded sports facilities key to sports association’s vision for sports tourism

BY MARK RABAGO
Saipan Correspondent

OLEAI, Saipan — The Northern Marianas Sports Association is banking on upgraded sports facilities — led by continued improvements at the Oleai Sports Complex — to transform the commonwealth into a larger sports tourism destination, attracting more international athletes, competitions and overseas training camps while creating new opportunities for the visitor economy.

John Hirsh, secretary of the NMSA, said the association, which oversees sports federations in the Northern Mariana Islands, continues to focus on developing sports and talent while also working to bring more international sporting events to the NMI.

"NMSA is the governing body for 21 NMI sports federations. Our members develop local athletes and programs and, when possible, host competitions," Hirsh said.

He said federations representing tennis, va'a, athletics, soccer, badminton, baseball, basketball, pickleball, weightlifting and bodybuilding have recently hosted international competitions in the NMI and intend to continue pursuing similar opportunities.

A major part of that effort, Hirsh said, is ensuring the NMI has sports facilities capable of hosting high-level regional and international competitions while encouraging overseas teams to choose the islands as a training destination.

In the past six years substantial upgrades have been completed at the Oleai Sports Complex, the hub of sports in the commonwealth. The Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium has been completely renovated with air conditioning, new offices and conference rooms, upgraded locker rooms and restrooms, and a new competition-standard floor capable of hosting international basketball, badminton, volleyball, weightlifting, and wrestling events.

Improvements have also been completed at the athletics track and the Miguel “Tan Ge” Pangelinan Tenorio and Francisco "Tan Ko" M. Palacios baseball fields. Last year, the Marianas Visitors Authority funded the construction of a new pitching bullpen at Tan Ko, although it was destroyed by Super Typhoon Sinlaku and will need to be rebuilt.

Looking ahead, Hirsh said the Economic Development Administration’s $21.2-million grant is expected to fund construction of a landmark aquatics center featuring a 50-meter Olympic swimming pool, along with upgrades to baseball facilities and two new tennis courts in the next two years.

The grant includes the construction of the Oleai Cultural Events Center, adjacent to the Oleai Sports Complex. "While the OSC is the epicenter of sports activities in the CNMI, we will be working closely with our membership to identify gaps in our NMI wide facilities that can attract more competitions and sports related tourism," Hirsh said.

The continued modernization of the Oleai Sports Complex, coupled with future facility improvements across Saipan, Tinian, and Rota, would strengthen the NMI's ability to compete for regional and international sporting events, Hirsh said. Improved venues could also make the commonwealth more attractive for preseason training camps, sports clinics, and youth exchanges, potentially generating additional visitor arrivals and spending for hotels, restaurants, transportation providers, and other tourism-related businesses.

Hirsh said soccer and baseball currently offer the greatest potential to attract sports tourists to the CNMI, while swimming, va'a, badminton, and golf also present significant growth opportunities, particularly given the popularity of golf among visitors from Japan and South Korea.

To capitalize on those opportunities, Hirsh said stronger partnerships are needed among NMSA, the Marianas Visitors Authority, the Hotel Association of the Northern Mariana Islands, airlines, and other government agencies.

"NMSA, in collaboration with our local partners, can develop sports tourism packages that make travel to the CNMI affordable and convenient," Hirsh said. "NMSA specifically needs support from MVA, HANMI, and regional airline partners."

The association is also looking to attract more overseas baseball clubs to use the NMI as a training base. Hirsh said NMSA manages Tan Ko baseball field but lacks the financial resources to complete additional upgrades needed to meet international expectations.

"NMSA needs funding from MVA, the Department of Community and Cultural Affairs, and other government agencies to ensure the ballfield meets and exceeds international standards," he said.

He said closer coordination among stakeholders will be essential if sports tourism is to become a significant contributor to the commonwealth's economy. "Sports tourism is everyone's business, We need to significantly improve coordination between MVA, the local government, NMSA, and our member federations," Hirsh said.

"Success is to realize a consistently full calendar of international competitions hosted by the commonwealth and supported through our membership, MVA, and the community."

One of NMSA's most ambitious initiatives is the inaugural Marianas Games, envisioned as an expansion of the long-running Marianas Cup football rivalry into a multi-sport competition between Guam and the NMI.

Working with the Guam National Olympic Committee, the association developed the Games to feature athletics, 3x3 basketball, badminton, baseball, women's fastpitch softball, open-water swimming, va'a, indoor volleyball, and an Olympic Day 5K run. The charter also calls for at least 30% youth participation, reflecting the organizers' goal of developing the next generation of athletes while strengthening ties between the two island communities.

The inaugural Games were originally scheduled to be held on Saipan but were postponed after Super Typhoon Sinlaku caused extensive damage to infrastructure across the commonwealth. Since then, recovery efforts have also been complicated by Super Typhoon Bavi, with government agencies and community organizations focusing on rebuilding before staging a major new regional sporting event.

Despite those setbacks, the NMI continues to host a diverse calendar of sporting events that bring regional and international athletes to the islands.

Among the best known is the annual Saipan Marathon, organized by MVA, which attracts runners from throughout the Asia-Pacific each March. The NMI also traditionally hosts the CNMI National Sprint Triathlon and the Hell of the Marianas cycling race, while Northern Marianas Athletics stages track and field meets at the Oleai Sports Complex.

The islands are likewise home to international badminton tournaments such as the YONEX Northern Marianas Open and the Crowne Plaza Saipan International, national tennis competitions, va'a races, baseball tournaments, and basketball competitions, all of which contribute to visitor arrivals and reinforce the CNMI's reputation as a regional sports destination. mbj