Panama is struggling with inefficient management of its sports infrastructure. At the center of the dispute is the new Roberto Mariano Bula stadium in the city of Colón. The original project cost $25 million, but the final figure rose to $36 million. Authorities in Colón are proposing to create a patronage to manage the stadium. However, the director of the state sports agency Pandeportes, Miguel Ordóñez, advocates for more modern solutions, such as Public-Private Partnerships (APP) or trust accounts. He uses the Rod Carew stadium as an example of a failure: over the past 20 years, the state has invested about $33,000 monthly, but ticket revenue goes to the Panamanian Baseball Federation (Fedebeis), not to maintenance. Meanwhile, the Bula stadium, built with difficulties, is now Colón's main sports gem, hosting thousands of fans. A new bill currently being debated in parliament could change the model for managing sports facilities, ensuring transparency and autonomy.
