11:35 a.m. Boise will get to bid for 2009 Special Olympics

Local News - The Idaho Statesman - Always Idaho: "Idaho has been invited to submit a bid to host the 2009 Special Olympics World Winter Games, organizer Pirie Grossman said.

Grossman and her husband, Jim are leading the effort with Special Olympics Idaho officials. They showed a Special Olympics International executive around Boise last Monday, and heard Friday that their efforts were successful and they are invited to formally submit a bid, she said.

The Grossmans sparked the idea last month for Idaho to host the 2013 World Winter Games, but when they learned Sarajevo had canceled plans to host the 2009 Games, they accelerated their plans.

Last Monday, they showed World Games Operations Director Jon-Paul St. Germain various sites around Boise, including Bogus Basin, Qwest Arena, Taco Bell Arena and other Boise State University facilities, and Boise Centre on The Grove, which would serve as the Olympic Village for the Games. The group also visited Idaho Ice World and Tamarack in Donnelly"