Pascual Guerrero Olympic Stadium

The Pascal Guerrero Stadium, also known as San Fernando Olympic Stadium, is a football stadium located in Cali, Colombia. It is suitable for the América de Cali football clubs of the Primera A Category, América de Cali Femenino of the Women's League, Atlético Fútbol Club and Boca Juniors de Cali of the Primera B Category to play. Both the stadium and the other sports venues that surrounding it are considered one of the most complete and modern sports complexes in Latin America, which is why the term "Sports Capital of America" for the city.

El Pascual, as the city's inhabitants usually call the stadium, was, along with the now defunct Galilea Stadium in the Versalles neighborhood—the place where the first National Sports Games were held in 1928—the two first important stadiums in the city. Today, it continues to have great importance for the holding of national and international sporting events.

History

In 1935, the poet Pascual Guerrero asked the department to build a stadium on the land he offered. By virtue of his good offices, on July 28, 1934, the Assembly, through Ordinance No. 11, determined an aid of $50,000 pesos of the time, to begin works on land that was owned by Guerrero Marmolejo., in the San Fernando sector. On July 20, 1937, the construction was completed with capacity for 6,500 spectators and the stage was inaugurated (2,500 in the shade - today three levels - and 4,000 in the east). Completely free land in the north and south, closed by a wall, at the time it was inaugurated with the name Departmental Stadium. President Alfonso López Pumarejo was present at the important event, a Pan American Soccer Tournament was organized for the celebrations of the IV Centennial of the founding of Cali, with the participation of Argentina (Represented by Independiente de Rivadavia), Cuba (Represented by Centro Gallego) and the national teams of Mexico, Ecuador, Panama and Colombia. The opening match, at four in the afternoon, was led by the Colombian and Mexican teams, after an initial period with a one-goal tie, the victory It was for the Colombian team 3-1. The first notes in this field were the work of Creoles Roberto 'El Flaco' Meléndez, Julio Mera and Romelio Martínez; The goal of honor for Mexico was scored by Carlos de la Torre

The first physical appearance of the 'Pascual Guerrero' stadium remained intact for a period of 13 years. Towards the month of April 1950, with the support of the Governor of that time, the first reforms were undertaken. Although the eastern stand, made up of about 15 high steps or stands, did not experience any change, the shaded part did, since the roof in place since the inauguration was replaced by an Eternit tile roof. The capacity was expanded to 5,000 fans in this sector, for a total of 9,000 in the entire sports arena. In addition to this structural modification, the stadium was equipped with six 25-meter-high towers and a total of 96 high-power reflectors for night games. Automatic turnstiles were also installed for the entry of fans, radio booths (since it was narrated from the charcoal court) and dressing rooms for the players.

Subsequently, on November 4, 1957, the department of Valle del Cauca gave the properties that comprise the entire sports complex to the Universidad del Valle, a donation ratified by the Ministry of Government.

In 1948 the first professional soccer match was played on its fields and in 1954 the stadium hosted the VII National Sports Games, for which it was remodeled and expanded with the construction of the current oriental stand (two floors) in addition to the northern and southern sectors, on a single level, to close the ellipse, the Olympic Swimming Pools were also built next to it and have since been called the San Fernando Sports Complex.

Eight years later, in August 1962, the construction of the second floor in the north and south stands was approved. At the end of 1962, the second south floor was ready and at the beginning of 1963 the north side was ready. In mid-January 1961, the first major work was carried out on the grass and drainage of the stadium.

Thanks to the designation of Cali for the holding of the VI Pan American Games, in 1971 the stadium was restructured by the famous Colombian engineer Guillermo González Zuleta and adapted to the Olympic standards of the time, for which an athletic track was built. with eight lanes made of Synthetic Tartan, Pit and spaces for performing shot and hammer throw, long jump and pole vault tests. The capacity was expanded to accommodate up to 61,000 spectators, which is why the construction of a new 160 m long western stand and three-level stands, main 'V'-shaped porticos, and three-level stands were required. placed every 10 m and roof overhangs of 18 m; On these, lightened double-curved vaults 5 cm thick and longitudinal spans of 20 m are supported, that is, they are supported by the main intermediate porches. Night lighting and an electronic bulletin board were also installed. With its reform, the San Fernando Sports Unit, built for the 1954 national games, became part of the Pan American Sports Unit that would host the VI Pan American Games in 1971.

On the occasion of the Pacific Games, in 1994 some physical renovations were approved, among which the Synthetic Tartan track stood out, which was completely replaced in accordance with the needs for the competitions to be held in 1995. in which the stadium was a sports venue and site of the opening of the Pacific Games.

Due to the deterioration of the stadium's north stand, it was closed for several years until its remodeling began in 1999. In 2000, new renovations were approved to its facilities where special emphasis was placed on the study of its structural integrity, location problems were corrected as well as spaces for sports communicators and the grass and drainage of its field were completely replaced; all this to be able to host Copa América matches to be held the following year.

In 2005, on the occasion of the organization of the 43rd version of the South American Athletics Championships, the synthetic track was repaired in several sections; On this occasion, a material approved by the International Athletics Federation IAAF called Sport Flex was used. With this, the federation ratified the track and accepts the new brands that are presented as official.

Since October 2006 and in order to once again host the 2008 National Sports Games, work began on tracks, fields, swimming pools and coliseums.

2011 renovation

In 2009, a remodeling began for the 2011 U-20 Soccer World Cup. The entire stadium was equipped with seating, the dressing rooms were adapted to FIFA standards, boxes were built in the eastern stand, areas VIP in the west, a giant screen in the north stand and some underground parking spaces in the south stand. On December 10 of the same year, the works officially began, with the presence of the Mayor of Cali Jorge Iván Ospina and the president of Coldeportes.

The project contemplated a duration of 16 months, estimating that it would be completed in June 2011. However, the works had successive delays, to the point that on July 18, the date on which it was to be handed over to FIFA for the U-20 World Cup, the municipal administration had to request a period of seven more days to finish Finally, on July 24, it was handed over to FIFA with works still to be completed, such as the installation of covers on the eastern stand, the athletic track, among others.

At the beginning of 2021, the construction of 44 office-type boxes began in the Eastern Grandstand, with the aim of housing press personnel who will cover the first Pan American Youth Games to be held in November, and the Copa América that It was going to be held that year in the country in conjunction with Argentina, with the venue finally being withdrawn by Conmebol due to social protests in Colombia, bringing a climate of insecurity to the tournament being held in the country. After the games, the boxes will be rented to the general public, which will help cover the costs of this work, which will completely complete the renovation carried out since 2011. Construction is expected to take approximately 6 months.

Sports events

The stadium is also a training site for the Vallecaucana League and headquarters of the School and Intercollegiate Games.

The stadium has hosted the 3 most important sporting events that have been held in Colombia, the VI Pan American Games, the 2011 U-20 Soccer World Cup and the 2013 World Games, in addition to the U-20 South American Games. 1964, the 2001 Copa América, several editions of the National Sports Games, the 1995 Cali Pacific Ocean Games and host of the 2005 South American Athletics Championship. In 2021 it will host the newly created Pan American Youth Games, a multi-sport event created for athletes between 14 and 22 years old.

Colombian Professional Soccer Matches, the Copa Sudamericana and the Copa Libertadores de América are regularly played in the stadium, where until 2009 it was the headquarters of the teams from the América de Cali region and Deportivo Cali.

Currently the teams that play their home games are América de Cali of the Primera A Category, Atlético F.C (former Depor F.C) in the Primera B of 2009, 2010, 2011, and together with América de Cali in 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, until the promotion of the red team against Deportes Quindìo in 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 and Copa Colombia of 2010, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019) and Cortuluá in the 2017 Season in the Apertura Tournament and Completion Tournament and also Copa Colombia and the First Semester of the Primera B 2018 (due to renovations at the Doce de Octubre stadium) of the Primera B Category.

Deportivo Cali played its home Category Primera A and Copa Colombia matches in this stadium, but now plays at the Estadio Deportivo Cali located in Palmira (Valle del Cauca) from 1948 to 2009, in the 2012 Season in The Torneo Apertura and Torneo Finalizaciòn and Copa Colombia played at home at Pascual Guerrero.

Boca Juniors de Cali played at home in the Primera A Category and the Colombia Cup from 1949 to 1957.

The sports scene is mentioned in the song by Grupo Niche Cali Pachanguero: "There is classic in Pascual, adorned with peerless women; América and Cali to win, you can't tie here."

Copa América 2001

Date	Phase	Equipment		Outcome		Equipment	Showers
12 July 2001	Group B	Peru		3:3		Paraguay	s/d
12 July 2001	Group B	Brazil		0:1		Mexico	s/d
15 July 2001	Group B	Brazil		2:0		Peru	s/d
15 July 2001	Group B	Paraguay		0:0		Mexico	s/d
18 July 2001	Group B	Peru		1:0		Mexico	s/d
18 July 2001	Group B	Brazil		3:1		Paraguay	s/d

2011 U-20 Football World Cup

The Pascual Guerrero Olympic Stadium hosted 8 matches of said world competition, between July 30 and August 14: five in Group B, one in Group A, one in the round of 16 and one in the quarterfinals.

Date	Phase	Equipment		Outcome		Equipment	Showers
30 July 2011	Group B	Cameroon		1:1		New Zealand	35 262 [2] Archived on 16 October 2011 at Wayback Machine.
30 July 2011	Group B	Portugal		0:0		Uruguay	35 262 [3] Archived on 16 October 2011 at Wayback Machine.
2 August 2011	Group B	Uruguay		1:1		New Zealand	28 884 [4] Archived on 16 October 2011 at Wayback Machine.
2 August 2011	Group B	Portugal		1:0		Cameroon	28 884 [5] Archived on 16 October 2011 at Wayback Machine.
5 August 2011	Group B	Portugal		1:0		New Zealand	31 395 [6] Archived on 16 October 2011 at Wayback Machine.
5 August 2011	Group A	France		2:0		Mali	31 395 [7] Archived on 16 October 2011 at Wayback Machine.
9 August 2011	Final Octavos	Portugal		1:0		Guatemala	34 264 [8] Archived on 16 October 2011 at Wayback Machine.
14 August 2011	Final rooms	France		3:2		Nigeria	33 007 [9] Archived on 23 September 2011 at Wayback Machine.

Cultural and musical events

The most traditional musical event that takes place in the stadium is the Super Concert, in which different groups and fashionable singers are invited as part of the annual celebration of the Cali Fair, event held between December 25 and 30. During the eighties, the Orchestra Festival was held, which was on the schedule of the Cali Fair, in which different orchestras performed for an entire day.

On December 4, 1992, David Gilmour of Pink Floyd, Roger Daltrey of The Who, Phil Manzanera of Roxy Music and other international musicians performed in the framework of an ecological festival, led by the musician Chucho Merchán.

Likewise, the stadium is the main stage for concerts by national and international artists. Gustavo Cerati, Juanes, Shakira, Marc Anthony, the youth group RBD, among others have performed on the sports stage.

Various Christian churches also rent the stadium when a football match is not scheduled to hold their massive events there.

Facilities

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

• South Tribune: With the same price as the northern rostrum, it is the most economical. In that rostrum the bars are usually located South Red Bar of the American team of Cali and Front Radical Verdiblanco Deportivo Cali. These fans are recognized for being the "Barras bravas" of their respective teams and for their violent background, they cannot be in the same rostrum when the teams of the city play with each other. Usually the swollen team of visitors is located in the northern rostrum. The location and subsequent departure of the fans is controlled by the National Police and a squadron of the ESMAD.
• Northern Tribe: In this rostrum, which is geographically located to the west, there was an old electronic board that for many years was out of service. With the refurbishment of 2010, it was replaced by a giant digital screen.
• Lower Eastern Tribe: Behold the first two-story of the eastern side of the stadium. This is the most popular rostrum and from where you have a complete panorama of the stadium.
• Eastern High Tribune: The second of the two floors on the eastern side offers a preferential view of the stadium.
• Western Tribe 1.♪ Flat: On this side are the dressing rooms, the area of referees and the banks of the two teams.
• Western Tribe 3.♪ Flat: In this rostrum are the broadcast booths of the sports media.
• Western Tribune 2.o Floor: It is the most expensive rostrum for sporting events.

Location and access routes

The stadium is located in the traditional San Fernando neighborhood, in the south-central part of the city, between the traditional Calle 5 and Avenida Roosevelt. Next to the stadium are the Evangelista Mora Gymnasium, the Alberto Galindo Olympic Pools and they make up the so-called San Fernando Sports Unit.

Access from the south or north of the city is through Fifth Street, an avenue through which a trunk of the MIO Mass Transportation System passes, and has a station right in front of the Pan American Park, or the Flags. From the south you can get there via Calle 9, going up through the intersection of Carrera 34 to Roosevelt Avenue, where vehicle access is restricted during events.

Near the south stand is the "Caseta la María" authorized sale of tickets. With the 2010 remodeling, the stadium was equipped with 140 parking spaces, but the surrounding streets and alleys are usually used to park cars, with non-formal private surveillance.