2009 Winter Games Host Finalists Named

2009 Winter Games Host Finalists Named:

"Special Olympics has announced the finalist bid cities to host the 2009 Special Olympics World Winter Games. The four finalists are:

Boise (Idaho, USA)
Reno-Tahoe (Nevada, USA)
Schladming-Graz (Austria)
Garmisch Partenkirchen (Germany)

'...Special Olympics athletes deliver. They deliver in their competitions; they deliver with humor; they deliver with appreciation; they deliver with laughter; and their families deliver with pride. These are the reasons Special Olympics World Games can and do change not only individual lives, but change political and societal views and conceptions of people with [intellectual disabilities]...Special Olympics is one 'issue' any local or national government can and will support once they have the unique experience of hosting a World Games and learning more about these athletes. I say this emphatically because it has happened after every World Games in our history. It always happens.'

Eunice Kennedy Shriver, Special Olympics Founder, 1997 Spirit magazine interview

Special Olympics follows a competitive bid process based on the Olympic model in selecting sites to host its World Games, taking into consideration the positive impact the World Games have on host cities and surrounding communities, and the lasting social legacy that can be left as a result of the Games.

A delegation from Special Olympics will be visiting all the finalists soon for site evaluations. The site evaluation team will be led by Jimmy Carnes, Chairman of the Sports Subcommittee of the Special Olympics Board of Directors. Delegation members include Lee Todd, Chief, World Games

The Boise (Idaho, USA) bid to host the 2009 Special Olympics World Winter Games has been prepared by Jim and Pirie Grossman of Destiny Productions, the Boise Convention and Visitors Center, and Special Olympics Idaho. Endorsements for the Boise bid have come from U.S. Senators Larry E. Craig and Michael D. Crapo, Nevada Governor Dirk Kempthorne, Boise Mayor David H. Bieter and other prominent Idahoans. "

Generosity of donors puts Idaho Special Olympics dream in reach

Local News - The Idaho Statesman - Always Idaho: "Sometimes a dream takes a while to come true. This one still hasn't ... yet. For years, Jim and Pirie Grossman, his parents, Sam and Peggy, and the regional director for North America Special Olympics, Randy Schubert, have envisioned 2,500 Special Olympics athletes competing in Idaho. Suddenly, the stars seem aligned. In just three short months they've corralled a powerful crowd of politicians, sports leaders and businesses willing to pony up $7.5 million�nearly half of the $15 million to $20 million required to bring SO here.

'No one has turned us down,' Pirie told me at a reception at BSU's Allen Nobel Hall of Fame for the SO International Board members checking out Boise last week. Among those already on the honorary SO steering committee are Teresa Heinz and John Kerry, Mariel Hemingway, Steve Crisman and Kiril Sokoloff, Sun Valley; and Cecil Andrus, Jim Everett and Nancy and Jean-Pierre Boespflug.

Although the Special Olympics will consume about two weeks (and fill every lodging in Boise and Valley County), the public education facet will take place over a year, as students in Idaho towns host athletes from some of the 80 nations taking part in the Olympics.
Emcee and Special Olympian Kirk Grogan of Spirit Lake, told us SO gave him confidence in handling everyday life and belief in himself and his ability to beat the odds.

'The values of Idaho are in line with the values of the Special Olympics,' he said, addressing the site team. 'When you're in Idaho, your life will change. You'll find people here who have commitment to improving the world and the tenacity to make it happen.'"

Idaho Hopes To Host The Special Olympic World Winter Games

KBCI 2 Boise, Idaho: "BOISE -
Idaho is vying for the bid to host the Special Olympic World Winter Games in 2009. The games are three years away but the competition is already heating up as the International Selection Committee spends the weekend in Idaho.

Kirk Grogan is a Special Olympic athlete whose won 17 medals, but now he's competing for something else. He wants Idaho to win the bid for the Special Olympic World Winter Games in 2009.

'It would be just a great opportunity for Idaho, it would boost the economy, we can make new friends around the world, it would be just awesome,' Grogan told KBCI Local 2 News.

'The entire world's eyes would be on Idaho and it will be basically a platform for the world to see Boise, to see Tamarack, to see the people, it will be huge,' Co-Chair of the Special Olympic Bid Committee for Idaho, Pirie Grossman told KBCI Local 2 News.

Pirie and Jim Grossman spent the past several months preparing the states bid for the winter games.It's something they felt connected to because Jim's sister is a Special Olympian.
'We've seen it in our own home and we know how important it is and we know what a gift it would be to Idaho and that's what we're hoping to accomplish,' said Grossman.

Idaho has made it into the top four finalists to host the games and Thursday night community members welcomed the International Selection Committee at BSU. The five member board will spend the weekend reviewing Idaho's athletic facilities and seeing what this state has to offer, things this Special Olympian already knows.

'It has great terrain for it, the mountains are awesome, the scenic view of Idaho is awesome,' said Grogan.

Idaho is up against Germany, Austria, and Reno to host the event but Grossman believes that all the volunteers and donations to help fund the games gives Idaho a leg up.
'We have the "

Special Olympics will tour Boise

"The group of Idahoans working to bring the Special Olympics 2009 Winter World Games to Idaho got good news Tuesday. Special Olympics International has accepted their bid and the organization's selection committee will tour possible venues March 23-26.

'We are in the running. They are coming back,' said organizer Pirie Grossman.

Idaho is competing with Reno and cities in Germany, Poland and Austria to host the Games, which tourism and commerce officials say could bring millions of dollars into the state's economy.
Austria had not been on the list before, but Special Olympics accepted that bid because the country hosted the Games in 1993."

They loved the bid, they're on their way!

We just received the message that SPECIAL OLYMPICS INTERNATIONAL is coming to Idaho. The bid packet was outstanding! The dates they are looking at are March 23, 24, 25 and departing the 26th.

We will put together a plan of action, but for now just wanted you all to know!

Once again, our sincere thanks to everyone for their hard work! More to follow.

Jim, Pirie and Salle

Idaho finalizes bid for Special Olympics World Winter Games

"Idaho is another step closer to securing the 2009 Special Olympics World Winter Games.
The 300-page bid went out this week to the international office in Washington D.C.
Inside the binders are details about all the venues, letters of support from all Idaho�s congressional delegation, the governor and city leaders.
And assurance of financial commitments; $5 million has already been raised.
'The fact that we were able to raise 20 percent of our overall budget and show it in guarantee letters is huge,' said Pirie Grossman, organizer.
We should know by next week if Special Olympics International plans on visiting Idaho again.
That would mean that the Gem State is one of two finalists to host the games. "

The Bid is In!

Local News - The Idaho Statesman - Always Idaho: "Idaho's bid to host Special Olympics event is on track

The group of area residents pushing to bring the Special Olympics 2009 World Winter Games to Idaho successfully submitted its bid to Special Olympics International by Friday's deadline, organizer Jim Grossman said.Now the group will cross its fingers and hope to be one of two finalists named by the organization. Idaho's competition includes Reno, and cities in Germany and Poland. The process for hosting the 2009 Games is accelerated because host city Sarajevo backed out last year. Idaho just started preparing to be a host in mid-January.Grossman and his wife, Pirie, have taken the organizing lead, and he credited various government agencies and businesses for voicing support and committing money and in-kind donations.
"We've more than $5 million in cash and in-kind contributions," said Grossman. "What has been done in such a short period of time is reflective of our community as a whole."Grossman said he expects to hear whether Idaho is a finalist within the next week or two. Then a team from Special Olympics International would make a visit later this month to inspect the various venues, including Tamarack Resort, Qwest Arena, Idaho Ice World and more.
"We have every reason to believe we will be one of the finalists," he said"

Idaho finalizes bid for Special Olympics World Winter Games

KTVB.COM Boise Idaho News, Weather, Sports & Traffic More Sports: "BOISE -- Idaho is another step closer to securing the 2009 Special Olympics World Winter Games.
The 300-page bid went out this week to the international office in Washington D.C.
Inside the binders are details about all the venues, letters of support from all Idaho�s congressional delegation, the governor and city leaders.
And assurance of financial commitments; $5 million has already been raised.
'The fact that we were able to raise 20 percent of our overall budget and show it in guarantee letters is huge,' said Pirie Grossman, organizer.
We should know by next week if Special Olympics International plans on visiting Idaho again.
That would mean that the Gem State is one of two finalists to host the games. "