NASSAU, Bahamas, CMC – Sporting officials in the Bahamas are gearing up for a busy schedule of activities on the sporting calendar for 2014, according to Minister of Sports, Dr Daniel Johnson.
Among the many high-profiled sporting eventsto 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 that planning is also advanced for a Bahama Day, to be held at the American Airlines Arena in Miami, Florida, during the halftime break of the Miami Heat and Los Angeles Lakes game.
“The new year begins with the LPGA that will swing into action in about two weeks,” said Johnson. “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 theLos Angeles Lakers plays the Miami Heat. Bahama Day at the American Airlines Arena. We will do a presentation to them, which will be fantastic.
“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,” he said. Johnson believes that once the correct facilities are in place, The Bahamas will be among the top sporting destinations in the world.
