Ever since the first Pan American Games were held in Buenos Aires, Argentina in February 1951, they have more than lived up to their moniker of “America, Espirito, Sport, Fraternité”  or “The American Spirit of Friendship Through Sports.”

Six decades ago, those historic games  saw some 2,500 athletes from 21 countries compete in 18 sports. More than double that number will be participating in 36 sports in Guadalajara – Mexico’s second-largest city – and five provincial sub-sites from October 14 to 30.

We should expect the big nations such as Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, the United States, Cuba and Canada, each with more than 500 competitors in their delegations, to win most of the medals, but one must not forget the small but proud island nations of the Caribbean, such as Antigua, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Grenada, Haiti and the Bahamas, that will be sending delegations the size of which can be counted on the fingers of one hand!

The scope of the 2011 games – the 16th in the competition’s history – is extraordinary. Guadalajara awaits around 800,000 visitors during the two-week sporting festival, both domestic and foreign.  Hotel occupancy is expected to be around 98 percent.  The build-up to the games has created some 50,000 new jobs. There will be 6,000 volunteers and 1,300 media representatives attending the games. More than 1,500 federal police officers have been mobilized to ensure the safety of everyone. More than 750 television hours of sports will be broadcast throughout Mexico and the rest of the continent, and global digital media company Terra (www.terra.com) will be broadcasting the games live in 13 simultaneous high-definition online channels.

After winning its bid to host the games six years ago, Guadalajara has made strenuous efforts and spent around 850 million dollars to stage what Organizing Committee (Copag) President Carlos Andrade Garin promises will be “the best games in history.” Of the 32 venues, 19 have been custom-built from scratch, and 13 undergone extensive renovations.  The para-athletes who will take part in November’s Parapan American Games will also find that their needs have been carefully considered at all the venues.

Guadalajara’s renowned hospitality towards its guests will be on show during the games and locals and visitors will have plenty of time to mingle in  the lively Fan Fest zone on Avenida Chapultepec. Also planned are dozens of cultural events during the games at the city’s many artistic spaces.

While tickets for the finals of most sports sold out some time ago, there are still some available for the early rounds. Go online at wwww.ticketmaster.com.mx or call (33) 3818-3800. Both Spanish and English-speakers requiring information in their own language on all aspects of the games can dial the free 070 (option 9) number on a 24-hour basis throughout October.

We hope locals and visitors alike find this guide to be useful and interesting. Guadalajara 2011 is a one-of-a-kind event and we are confident it will be a joyous and rewarding occasion for all.