Estadio Olímpico Pascual Guerrero

The Estadio Olimpico Pascual Guerrero is a stadium in Santiago de Cali, Colombia which is named to honor the poet Pascual Guerrero. The stadium and the sports complex that surrounds it were, from the 1950s to the 1970s, one of the finest and most modern sports complexes in Latin America, and lead to references of Cali as the "Sports Capital of America".

The "Pascual", as its inhabitants usually call their stadium, was near the now defunct Stadium Galilee in the Versailles neighbourhood, where the first national athletics competition was held in 1928. The Pascual is still an important venue for domestic and international sporting events.

With renovations made for the 2011 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Colombia the stadium reached a capacity for 50,000 people. It is currently the home of América de Cali, and was the home of Deportivo Cali until 2007 when they moved into a new stadium, Estadio Deportivo Cali, becoming the first Colombian football team to own its own stadium.

History

In the year 1935, the poet Pascual Guerrero asked the department to build a stadium on the grounds that the offering. On 20 July 1937, construction was completed, and the facility opened with the name "Estadio Departamental". President Alfonso López Pumarejo was present when the stadium was inaugurated with a quadrangular tournament between the countries of Argentina, Cuba, Mexico and Colombia. The opening of the stadium coincided with celebrations to mark the fourth centenary of the founding of Cali. Subsequently, on November 4, 1957, the government of the Valle del Cauca ceded to the Universidad del Valle the lands that comprise the entire sports complex, a gift ratified by the Ministry of Government.

In 1948 the first game of professional football was played at the stadium, and in 1954 the stadium was home to the National Sports Games VII. It was remodeled and expanded, with Olympic swimming pools built, which was lead to it being renamed "Complex San Fernando Sports".

With the appointment of Cali to the realisation of the VI Pan American Games, in 1967 the stadium is restructured and adapted to Olympic standards of the time, that's why he built a track of 8 lanes developed in Tartan Synthetic, Pit and spaces testing for shot put and hammer, long jump and pole vault. The capacity was expanded to accommodate 45,000 spectators, was also conditioned lights and electronic bulletin board. With reform, the Sports Unit of San Fernando was built for the 1954 National Games, it becomes part of the Pan American Sports Unit would host in 1971 the VI Pan American Games.

On the occasion of the Pacific Games in 1994 are approved some physical renovations, including highlights its Synthetic Tartan track, which is replaced in its entirety according to the requirements for competitions to be held in the year 1995, which sports stadium and hosted the inauguration site of the Pacific Games.

Due to the deterioration of the north grandstand of the stadium was closed for several years until in 1999 began its remodeling. In 2000 further renovations were approved at its facilities where it takes special emphasis on the study of structural, locational problems are corrected as well as space for the sporting community and the grass and drainage of the field is completely replaced, all this to host games of the Copa America to be held next year.

In 2005, due to the organization for version 43 of the South American Championships in Athletics, the synthetic track is repaired in several sections, this time using a material approved by the International Athletics Federation IAAF denonimado Sport Flex. This confirms the track federation and accepted as official new brands that are presented.

Since October 2006, on the occasion of hosting again the National Games of 2008, begin work on tracks, fields, pools and arenas.

In 2009 it designed an expensive remodeling of the World Cup U-20, 2011 to be held in Colombia. The study says there will silleteria throughout the stadium, improved dressing rooms, boxes will be built in the eastern grandstand, VIP areas in western line is buy a big screen or an electronic board and also some underground parking in the south grandstand. On December 10 the same year the works were officially inaugurated with the presence of the mayor and the president of Coldeportes. The works started in the south grandstand and will last 16 months. The stadium capacity will be reduced, leaving the 35,312-seat stadium spectators.

Events

Sports

In stage Matches are played regularly Hervey, Copa Sudamericana and Copa Libertadores, Which until 2009 was home to teams in the region América de Cali and Deportivo Cali.

The stadium has hosted the VI Pan American Games in the National Games on several occasions, the Games of the Pacific Ocean and home to Cali 1995 South American Championships in Athletics 2005.

During the Copa America 2001 was the headquarters of the group B. A total of six games played between the selections Brazil, Paraguay, Peru and Mexico. These matches were held between July 11 and July 17 of 2001.

The stadium is also the training site and home League Vallecaucana School and Intercollegiate Games.

Cultural Music

The more traditional music event that takes place in the stadium is Super Concert, In which different groups and invite singers from within the framework of the annual celebration Feria de Cali, Event held between 25 and 30 December. During the eighties the Festival Orchestra conducted was in the timing of the Feria de Cali, which for a whole day had different orchestras.

Also, the stadium is the main stage to perform concerts of national and international artists. Juanes, Maná, Shakira, Marc Anthony and RBD are some of the artists that have performed at the stadium.

Various Christian churches are also taking to rent the stadium when it is not a football game scheduled for mass events there.

Facilities

The stadium is divided into seven stands for sporting events (in order from lowest to highest cost):

• South Grandstand: For the same price as the northern platform, is the most economical. In the gallery are usually locate bars Baron Rojo Sur Team America and Frente Radical Betis Deportivo Cali team. These fans are known for being the "hooligans" from their respective teams and their violent history can not be on the same platform as the city teams play each other. Usually the fans of the team official visitor gallery is located in the north. The location and subsequent departure of the fans is controlled by the National Police and a squad ESMAD.
• North Grandstand: In this forum, which is geographically located to the west, lies the electronic board, which after many years of being out of service, is making its reconstruction.
• Lower East Grandstand: Behold the first two floors of the east side of the stadium. This is the most popular platform from which there is a complete panorama of the stadium.
• Upper East Grandstand: The second of the two floors of the east side, offers a prime view of the stadium by not having to be interrupted by the safety net on the first floor.
• Tribuna 1st Floor West: On this side of the locker rooms are located, the area of arbitrators and the benches of both teams.
• Tribuna 3rd Floor West: In this forum are booths sports media transmission.
• West 2nd Floor Grandstand: It is the only forum in the stadium with silletería numbered and therefore is reserved for members of the teams.

Location and Access Routes

The stadium is located in the San Fernando traditional neighborhood in central-south of the city, between the traditional Fifth Avenue Street and Roosevelt Avenue (Calle 6a). Next to the stage of the Fitness Evangelista Mora, The Alberto Galindo Olympic Pools and form the so-called San Fernando Sports Unit also known as Pan American Sports Unit.

Access from the south or north of the city is Fifth Street, an avenue through which passes a backbone of Mass Transit System MIOAnd has a station right in front of Parque de las Banderas. From the south you can get to the stadium along the Avenue of the Hippodrome (Better known as Ninth Street), going through the intersection of the Diagonal 34 to Roosevelt Avenue, which restricts access of vehicles during the course of the event.

Near the south stand is the "Booth Maria" ballots authorized outlets. The stadium has no parking, but often used the street and surrounding streets to park cars, with no particular formal surveillance.