Boise Weekly's Citizen Boise: Pirie Grossman

Boise Weekly - Not Your Everyday Newspaper: News: Citizen Boise: Pirie Grossman: "Pirie Grossman

BY LAURA WYLDE

Word that Idaho would host the 2009 Special Olympics World Winter Games was welcome news to Jim and Pirie Grossman, who spearheaded efforts touting Idaho as the best location for the quadrennial games. But the politically active power couple has also dabbled outside the sporting events and worked to bring the Dalai Lama to Sun Valley last September. So what motivates the duo to bring world events to Idaho? Pirie (pronounced 'Perry') answered our questions.
PG: It's amazing just for our state to experience these things. It makes better people out of us. The Special Olympics will have a great economic impact on Idaho, but we're going to get another wonderful surprise in spirit that's going to make us fuller people. Everyone we've talked to that have hosted the games before still talk about how the games affect lives of people in the community since the games left. It's remarkable and I look forward for Idaho to experience that.
You wrote a bid to the Special Olympics global headquarters saying Idaho was a better location to host the games compared to four other potential locations. How intricate and specific did you have to get in writing this proposal?
We were competing against Reno, Nevada; Garmish, Germany and Austria in the bid process, so we had to really showcase Boise. The 300-page document was very, very precise. It's like a regular Olympic bid. So we had to "

2009 WORLD WINTER GAMES ANNOUNCEMENT SCHEDULED FOR TUESDAY

BOISE, ID May 15, 2006 – Join the athletes of Special Olympics Idaho as the Site Selection Committee announces its decision on where to hold the 2009 Special Olympics World Winter Games. The announcement will be made at Noon, Tuesday May 16, 2006 at the Caven Williams Indoor Complex on the campus of Boise State University. Games are scheduled for January/February 2009.

When: Tuesday May 16th, 2006 12pm Noon
Where: BSU Caven Williams Indoor Complex (New Football Practice Facility next to Bronco Stadium)
Why: 2009 Special Olympics World Winter Games Announcement

If Idaho is selected, games would be held at BSU, Tamarack, Qwest Arena, Bogus Basin, and the Idaho Ice World. It’s estimated the games could bring in as much as 50 million dollars to the community.

The Idaho bid is lead by Jim and Pirie Grossman and a team of business leaders from around the community. The honorary board of directors includes celebrities such as Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, Maria Shriver, USOC Chairman Peter Ueberroth, and Picabo Street.

About Special Olympics Idaho
Special Olympics Idaho is a non-profit organization that supplies year-round sports training and competition to 1,900 Idaho children and adults with intellectual disabilities. For more information about Special Olympics Idaho go to: www.idso.org