Plans to accommodate athletes in hotels during next year's Pacific Games in Samoa remain a work in progress.
Pacific Games Council CEO Andrew Minogue spent three days in Apia last week meeting with Games staff and checking on the facilities that will play host to more than 4000 athletes and officials in July across 26 sports.
Photo: Supplied
Mr Minogue was pleased with the overall progress being made eight and a half months out from the event but said plans for the athletes to stay in hotels during the two-week event are still to be finalised.
"There's a lot of work that goes into making that happen and that's still ongoing," he said.
"One of the big tasks last week was to try and get some best guesses or estimates of how many athletes each of the countries will be bringing so that those hotel arrangements can be made and made accurately."
"You have to understand from where we were when Tonga pulled out as the host Samoa has stepped in and provided great support by taking on hosting responsibilities."
"We are very thankful to the government and people of Samoa for their great support and for wanting to bring the Games back under these challenging circumstances. It is still a long way to go but the signs are good."
Apia Park will host the opening and closing ceremonies for the 2019 Pacific Games. Photo: Samoa 2019 Pacific Games
Samoa were announced as the Games hosts in September last year after Tonga pulled the plug, saying it could not afford to host them.
"You have to understand from where we were when Tonga pulled out as the host Samoa has stepped in and provided great support by taking on hosting responsibilities," Minogue said.
"We are very thankful to the government and people of Samoa for their great support and for wanting to bring the Games back under these challenging circumstances. It is still a long way to go but the signs are good."
Andrew Minogue said all competition venues are on track to be ready, tested and handed over to Pacific Games organisers in May or early June, up to two months out from the July 8 start-date.
A multi-purpose hall that will play host to the netball and badminton competitions is the only new venue being created for the 2019 Games.
The swimming venues is being refurbished for the 2019 Pacific Games in Samoa. Photo: Samoa 2019 Pacific Games
Mr Minogue said the Chinese Government is also carrying out refurbishment work on the swimming venue in the Faleata Sports Complex and at Apia Park, which will host athletics, rugby sevens and the opening and closing ceremonies.
"Having the venues already in place already and only needing relatively minor refurbishments means that we can be very confident that all of our field of play is going to be fine for the athletes," he said.
"All the other venues around town - the various gyms and facilities - will be given some refurbishment as well.
"The Samoan Government is paying for that but it's fairly minor - those venues are already in pretty good shape having hosted the Commonwealth Youth [Games] only three years ago."
