Organizers of the Pan American Games in Mexico say security will not be a problem, but finishing some venues on time might be.

The games will be Mexico’s biggest attempt at organizing a major international sporting event since the football World Cup in 1986. Officials say they have surpassed the 2007 Rio de Janeiro Pan American Games record for generating sponsorship, and estimates suggest the games will generate a windfall of $2.7 billion with around one million visitors expected.

This should provide relief from the daily reports of mass graves, killing and kidnappings in a country that has been racked by drug violence that has killed more than 35,000 since late 2006.

However, the economic benefits may hinge on the security situation when the quadrennial, multi-sport event opens on 14 October.

In February, grenade attacks at the entrance of a nightclub killed six and rocked a city already shaken from a night of chaos on 1 February when suspected drug gangs commandeered cars and buses, set them on fire and used them to block highways. Grenades were thrown at police stations as panic swept the city.

Organizers have pledged that security is a top priority, and they are pumping $10 million into a plan that calls for 10,000 municipal, state and federal police, as well as elements from the Mexican army and navy, patrolling Guadalajara’s streets during the games.