Sporting officials in the Bahamas are gearing up for a busy schedule on the 2014 sporting calendar, according to Sports Minister Daniel Johnson.
Among the many high-profile events to be staged in the Bahamas are the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) tournament, the International Association of Athletic Federations (IAAF) World Relays and a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Bowl Championship.
The minister said planning is also advanced for a Bahama Day, to be held at the American Airlines Arena in Miami during the halftime break of the Miami Heat vs Los Angeles Lakes basketball game.
“The New Year begins with the LPGA that will swing into action in about two weeks. We will have about 150 of the greatest female golfers on the planet playing at the One&Only Ocean Club. We have Bahama Day which will take place when the LA Lakers play Miami Heat. We will do a presentation to them, which will be fantastic,” said Johnson.
“Before we had three S’s — they were sun, sand and sea. Now we are adding one more, which is sports. We want to become a destination for sports tourism and a destination for hosting the greatest events in the world. We have two surprises which I will unveil in the middle of the year that will really take us over the top.”
Johnson said it is the government’s plan to create a linkage between the international major market and the local market, where a bridge will be formed.
“This new bridge is expected to solidify the country as the biggest sporting destination in the region,” said Johnson, who believes that once the correct facilities are in place, the Bahamas will be among the top sporting destinations in the world.