Special Olympics come to Idaho in 2009

Arbiter Online - Special Olympics come to Idaho in 2009:

by Micah McLaughlin
News Writer
June 14, 2006

Idaho has been selected as the U.S. site of the 2009 Special Olympics World Winter Games for its sports venues and strong community support and will hold the games in and around Boise during February of that year.
�The World Games will bring athletes with intellectual disabilities from 100 nations to the state of Idaho,� said Kirsten Seckler, Director of Global Media and Public Relations for the Special Olympics.
According to Seckler, the Special Olympics are games designed to change the lives of people with intellectual disabilities and all people by expanding their understanding of these disabilities.
�The movement has a unique transformative quality which celebrates the power of the human spirit and helps us all realize the power of believing in potential,� said Seckler.
Over 2,000 athletes are expected to attend, as well as more than 10,000 spectators.
Originally slated to be held in Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Boise was selected after the former city passed on the opportunity. Other locations considered included Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany, Reno/Tahoe, Nevada (U.S.), and Schladming-Graz, Austria.
The venues of Idaho played a part, but Seckler said all the potential sites offered excellent venues.
�It was the passion exuded by the people of Idaho which helped the decision to bring the Games to Idaho,� said Seckler.
As of now the venues include: Bogus Basin, the Boise Center on the Grove, Boise State University, Idaho Ice World, Tamarack Resort, and the Qwest Arena.
�Nothing is written in stone yet,� said Ryan Panitz"