World Class Facility in Ordot-Chalan Pago To Benefit Soccer Community and Schoolchildren

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (April 30, 2021 – Hagåtña, Guam) – With a unanimous vote, Speaker Therese Terlaje, the Legislature Chair of the Committee on Health, Land, Justice and Culture passed a measure authorizing the lease of property to the Guam Football Association (GFA) as a part of plans to build a world-class soccer facility near Ordot-Chalan Pago Elementary School.

The subject property of Bill No. 51-36 (COR) is currently under jurisdiction of the Guam Waterworks Authority but is in the process of being reverted back to the Department of Education and is adjacent to property owned by GFA, which is the proposed site of two soccer fields to be funded by the Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA).

Speaker Terlaje stated, “I think we can all recognize the strides that the Guam Football Association has made in growing the sport of soccer on Guam for both our youth and adults.  In some cases, our youth have gone out to excel in the sport after training for years under the GFA umbrella.”

In addition to regular daytime use of the facility by the students at the Ordot-Elementary School, at the Speaker’s urging in order to get the best value for schoolchildren, GFA has agreed to allow usage of the facility for interscholastic sports which will be negotiated and coordinated by the Guam Department of Education.

“When a public-private partnership is successful, the commitment benefits our entire community.  The growth of the sport of soccer on Guam is due in no small part to the efforts and big investments in time and money from both the GFA and FIFA in partnership with the government of Guam,” said Speaker Terlaje.

Bill 51-36 – AN ACT RELATIVE TO THE AUTHORIZATION FOR THE USE OF REAL PROPERTY WITHIN THE ADMINISTRATIVE JURISDICTION OF THE GUAM WATERWORKS AUTHORITY FOR THE CONSTRUCTION AND MAINTENANCE OF SOCCER FIELDS AND RELATED FACILITIES was co-sponsored by Senators Telena Nelson, Sabina Perez, Chris Duenas, Frank Blas and Vice-Speaker Tina Muna Barnes.

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For more information, please contact Speaker Therese M. Terlaje’s office at (671) 472-3586 or via e-mail at senatorterlajeguam@gmail.com.