$14M aquatic center eyed as boost for sports tourism; revival of Tagaman in the works

The Rotary Club of Saipan changed gears a bit for one of its March meetings, hosting guests from two local sports federations who outlined ambitious plans that could reshape athletics—and even tourism—in the Northern Marianas.

Top of the agenda was a long-awaited aquatic facility.

Northern Mariana Islands Swimming Federation president John Hirsch said construction of a $14-million aquatic center at the Oleai Sports Complex could soon begin, a development that would not only benefit swimmers but also attract international training camps and competitions to the CNMI.

Meanwhile, representatives from the Triathlon Association of the CNMI said they are rebuilding the local triathlon program from the ground up and are eyeing the eventual return of the iconic Tagaman Triathlon.

Speaking to Rotarians last March 10 at the Crowne Plaza Resort Saipan, said the lack of a regulation pool has long hampered the development of swimming in the islands.

“But that’s all about to change,” he said.

“Thanks to the federal government and the Economic Development Authority under the U.S. Department of Commerce, we are about to break ground, hopefully in mid-May, on a $14 million aquatic center which is going to be built right behind the [Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium],” Hirsch said.

The facility will feature a 50-meter pool designed to international standards.

“This will be a world-class facility, a 50-meter pool, with what they call a bulkhead in the center of it, which will allow us to divide the pool in half,” he said. “So we can have the swim teams training on one side of the pool. We can have water aerobics going on on the other side of the pool. So this is really going to be a game-changer for sports.”

The CNMI has not had a proper competitive pool since the closure of the 50-meter pool at the former Mariana Resort & Spa in 2018.

“For eight years we haven’t had an official pool for our swimmers to train,” Hirsch said, noting that athletes have had to make do with smaller hotel pools and even ocean training.

Despite the limitations, local swimmers have continued to compete internationally, including upcoming participation in the Oceania Championships in Fiji this May.

Hirsch said the new aquatic center could also open the door to sports tourism, particularly from Northeast Asia.

“We are getting endless amounts of calls from Japan and from Korea, particularly in the winter months, where they need to come down to a warm-weather location,” he said. “Now we’re going to have a state-of-the-art pool that’s going to be certified by World Aquatics, and it really is going to make a huge difference in terms of the amount of tourists that we get down here.”

The facility, he added, would also support other sports and community programs.

“This is really going to be a game-changer for sports,” Hirsch reiterated.

Later in the meeting, TRAC shared how the sport is being revived locally after years of inactivity.

TRAC president Lily Muldoon said the organization was essentially rebuilt from scratch in 2025.

“The board members who were previously running the show were getting burnt out and had basically come to the competing athletes and said, ‘You guys, if you want to keep the Triathlon Association of the CNMI going and want to keep on having races to compete in, we need to start a new board,’” she said.

The new leadership group was formed during what Muldoon described as a pivotal meeting among athletes.

“This was a dinner at Spicy Thai in January 2025 when we were convinced that we should step forward and create the triathlon association and create an opportunity for our athletes to continue both locally and on the international stage,” she said.

Since then, the group has organized multiple races and even sent a full team to the Pacific Mini Games in Palau.

Participation has also steadily grown.

“Our first event maybe had 11 participants,” TRAC vice president Shawna Brennfleck said. “And I’m happy to say our next race on Saturday is already up to almost 30 participants.”

The association is now hosting several events this year, including sprint and Olympic-distance triathlons designed to attract athletes of all skill levels.

But the long-term goal is even bigger.

Asked by Marianas Press whether the CNMI might see the return of the famous Tagaman Triathlon, Brennfleck said the group is working toward that possibility.

“Our goal is to bring back Tagaman. That’s more of a long-term goal,” she said. “So we’re hoping maybe even in 2027, depending on specific game plans, we might bring back Tagaman in ’27 or ’28.”

For now, the federation is focusing on rebuilding participation, developing youth athletes, and hosting national-level races that can qualify competitors for international championships.

“We have dreams to recreate the triathlon community,” Muldoon said.