An IAAF delegation looking to "connect with local organizing committee TrackTown USA" arrived in Oregon on Monday for the "first of what will be many site visits" in advance of the '21 World Outdoor Track & Field Championship at Hayward Field, according to Chris Hansen of the Eugene REGISTER-GUARD. IAAF CEO Olivier Gers also "came looking for assurances that Hayward Field will be ready to host the meet, scheduled for Aug. 6-15, 2021." A "massive renovation to the nearly 100-year-old stadium was promised when Eugene was awarded the meet" in '15. Hayward Field "must be able to accommodate a minimum of 30,000 fans a day during the meet," which will mark the first time the U.S. will host the World Outdoor Championship. The venue currently has a "listed capacity of 10,500 permanent seats but has reached close to 25,000 when temporary seating was installed for the Olympic Trials" in '08, '12 and '16. Univ. of Oregon Foundation President & CEO Paul Weinhold said that construction is "expected to begin this summer, sometime after the NCAA Outdoor championship meet in June, and last through 2019 with no break." Gers yesterday met with Weinhold and "came away confident the renovation is still on track." Gers: "All I can tell you is on a global basis, we’re not worried." Hansen notes even an "expanded Hayward Field will be the smallest venue to host the world championships" (Eugene REGISTER-GUARD, 1/18).
ISSUES REMAIN: In Portland, Ken Goe notes the championships are more than three years away, but there are "unresolved issues, such as repeated delays to required renovations of Hayward Field, and a reported FBI investigation into how the championships were awarded." Getting fans in and out of an event at Hayward is a "problem." There also is "little adjacent parking and arterial access is limited." Gers "begged off a question" about the reported FBI investigation (Portland OREGONIAN, 1/18).
