San Juan, Puerto Rico –The Raymond Dalmau Coliseum is “the home of sports.” That is how the mayor of the municipality of Quebradillas, Heriberto Vélez Vélez, described the home of the Pirates of the National Superior Basketball League (BSN). That facility hosts about 15 minor league tournaments and some 200,000 people visit it annually for the BSN season, something that is repeated to a greater or lesser extent in the various sports centers on the island.

To repair these and other coliseums on the island, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) recently approved nearly $16 million, so that these structures recover from damage as a result of Hurricane María.

“There are already over $1.1 billion that the agency has earmarked to address emergency measures and permanent repairs at parks and recreational facilities throughout the island. Following the repairs to these coliseums, the municipalities and communities will be able to resume activities required for their development. We’re not only talking about sports: coliseums also serve as distribution centers and shelters during hurricane season, among other important functions,” said Federal Disaster Recovery Coordinator José G. Baquero.

For the Raymond Dalmau Coliseum, nearly $3.6 million was allocated to repair the roof, cafeteria, offices, parking lot, storage room and training room, among other areas. The project’s mitigation measures will reinforce sliding doors, parking fences and the roof.

These repairs will result in a safer and more welcoming space for basketball fans. According to Luis Gabriel Miranda Ramos, general manager of the Quebradillas Pirates, it is important for residents to have the Coliseum available and nearby since many of the fans arrive on foot or even by bike. Miranda Ramos also highlighted the income that the franchise generates for Quebradillas: six months of work for many families, in addition to the economic impact that is distributed in restaurants and inns around the region.

“Sports are everything for Quebradillas and the Pirates are the brand that has represented the town for almost 100 years. All the towns are distinguished by different things, but I believe that Quebradillas is the only town on the island that stands out for its basketball team,” the general manager explained.

For the fans of this franchise, this team stands out for its passion and longevity. Juan Antonio Hernández says that one of the things he enjoys most about going to the coliseum is the community’s integration and being able to go with his mother, who passed on to him her passion for the Pirates. For Henry Lugo and Daisy Tosado, another aspect that excites them about the games is the fan’s warmth and euphoria. “Once the gates open, the field is always full. Even if we are losing, the fans always keep going.”.

The new repairs will also allow for the continuation of other minor league volleyball and basketball sports activities, as well as Community Emergency Response Training (CERT) workshops, cooperative and public employee union assemblies, American Red Cross blood drives, screening tests, and vaccinations. It also serves as a distribution center during hurricane season.

Likewise, the Fernando “Rube” Hernández Coliseum in the municipality of Gurabo has close to $1.9 million from the agency for repairs to its facilities, including its volleyball and basketball courts. The “Rube” Hernández hosts graduations for the Police Academy and the Humacao Campus of the University of Puerto Rico. It will also be the Puerto Rico Olympic Committee headquarters to select those athletes who will represent the island in boxing, fencing, judo, karate, wrestling and taekwondo.

Similarly, another $4.4 million were obligated for the Lenín López Coliseum in Guayanilla, which has been closed since Hurricane María. According to the municipal director of Recreation and Sports, César Díaz Laporte, for the municipal government the Coliseum is an “emblematic structure, since it serves as the main axis for the development of sports, culture and recreation for the people of our town.”

The executive director of Puerto Rico’s Central Office for Recovery, Reconstruction and Resiliency, (COR3), Manuel A. Laboy Rivera, stated that “following these obligations, sports fans will soon enjoy resilient facilities in good conditions to serve as a meeting point for the enjoyment of our people, as well as a shelter or assistance center in times of emergency. At COR3, we will continue to assist municipalities in the development of these permanent works until they are completed, including those that are executed under category G of parks and recreational facilities that belong to municipalities, for which FEMA has obligated over $891.7 million for permanent work”.

To date, FEMA has allocated over $30.3 billion in Public Assistance funds to more than 10,600 projects that will contribute to rebuilding a more resilient Puerto Rico.

For more information about Puerto Rico’s recovery from Hurricane María, visit fema.gov/disaster/4339 y recovery.pr. Follow us on social media at Facebook.com/FEMAPuertoRico, Facebook.com/COR3pr and Twitter @COR3pr.

QUEBRADILLAS, Puerto Rico (April 17, 2023) – FEMA approved nearly $3.6 million to repair the Raymond Dalmau Coliseum, home of the Quebradillas Pirates, after the damage caused by Hurricane María. Around 200,000 people visit the Coliseum yearly during the National Superior Basketball (BSN, in Spanish) season. During the remainder of the year, it holds graduations, minor league tournaments and other activities. Photo FEMA/ Eliezer Hernández

QUEBRADILLAS, Puerto Rico (April 17, 2023) – Nearly $3.6 million in FEMA funds go toward repairing the roof, cafeteria, offices, parking lot, storage room, and training room, among other areas of the Raymond Dalmau Coliseum. The project’s mitigation measures will reinforce sliding doors, parking fences and the roof. Photo FEMA/ Eliezer Hernández