Our View: Special Olympics good for Idaho, athletes

Editorials - The Idaho Statesman - Always Idaho: "Our View: Special Olympics good for Idaho, athletes

Congratulations, Idaho.

And congratulations, Jim and Pirie Grossman.

Because the Grossmans were willing to dream big and act quickly, Idaho will host perhaps the biggest event in state history - the 2009 World Winter Games.

What a big victory. How big?

More than 2,000 athletes big. One hundred nations big.
Ten thousand visitors and volunteers big.

An economic impact in the tens of millions of dollars.

Special Olympics organizers say the World Winter Games rivals the Winter Olympics in size. So think the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics, only here.

Yet the event transcends filling hotel rooms and restaurants in Boise and Tamarack Resort.

The games change the lives of athletes who will come for alpine skiing, cross-country skiing, figure skating, floor hockey, snowboarding, snowshoe racing and speed skating. They break down barriers between the spectators and the competitors - a fraction, say Special Olympics organizers, of the 190 million people worldwide with intellectual disabilities.

The games also afford Idaho an opportunity to show itself off. "This is a magical opportunity for the people of Idaho to show the world what we can do," said Pirie Grossman, whose sister-in-law has participated in Special Olympics. "We are honored to have been selected and can't wait to get down to the business at hand."

That business involves lining up thousands of volunteers — including families around Idaho who will host athletes before the games, plus people to help at the events and help get competitors and coaches to the venues. "It's almost like having a guest in your home, only on a much larger scale," Pirie Grossman said Tuesday.Business involves fund-raising, from big corporations and individuals alike. The Grossmans hope to raise $25 million. The Grossmans are off to a fast start; they've already raised $7 million in the Boise area.

That's impressive since the Grossmans only began talking about organizing a bid last December — and started out focusing on the 2013 games. When they learned the 2009 games were up for grabs, they pushed up their timetable.Five months later, Idaho has a winning bid, and much to live up to. Said Jimmy Carnes, chairman of Special Olympics' site selection committee, "Idaho provides excellent sports venues, incredible community support and unprecedented passion for the athletes of our movement."

The Grossmans, who have homes in Boise and Sun Valley, have high-powered supporters with Idaho roots, including Picabo Street, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maria Shriver, and John Kerry and Teresa Heinz Kerry. They've already shown a knack for turning their passion into results. There's a long way from a winning bid to a successful event, but the Grossmans have shown a commitment to cover the distance.

CRAPO CONGRATULATES IDAHO SPECIAL OLYMPICS

Idaho GOP - The Idaho Republican Party: "CRAPO CONGRATULATES IDAHO SPECIAL OLYMPICS

Idaho chosen today to host 2009 World Winter Games


Washington, DC � Idaho Senator Mike Crapo today congratulated Idaho Special Olympics and the team of Idahoans who submitted the winning bid to host the 2009 Special Olympics World Winter Games in February of 2009. The bidding team, led by Jim and Pirie Grossman of Sun Valley and the staff of Idaho Special Olympics, was notified today it has been chosen by Special Olympics International to host the games. If Idaho fulfills the bid as expected, the announcement means that more than 3,000 Special Olympians from around the world may be coming to Idaho to compete at tentative sites including Tamarack Resort in Valley County, Bogus Basin Resort in Boise, facilities at Boise State University and at the Boise Centre on the Grove. In all, 10,000 people from 80 counties may come to Idaho for the 2009 Games.

�Idaho�s selection to host the World Winter Games in 2009 demonstrates once again what can be accomplished when hard-working Idahoans pull together and I congratulate Jim and Pirie Grossman, Idaho Special Olympics, the staff of the Boise Convention and Visitors Bureau, and all the members of the team which submitted the bid chosen today,� Crapo said. �Part of what makes Idaho so special is the open hearts, open minds, and dedication that Idahoans demonstrate and now we will able to again show off our wonderful state on a world stage in 2009.� Senator Crapo serves as an honorary member of the local work group and submitted a letter of support as a part of the bid."

Boise will host 2009 Special Olympics World Winter Games

KTVB.COM Boise Idaho News, Weather, Sports & Traffic Local News: "Boise will host 2009 Special Olympics World Winter Games

06:37 PM MDT on Tuesday, May 16, 2006
BOISE -- The decision is final -- Boise will host the 2009 Special Olympics World Winter Games. The announcement was made just moments ago.

The news broke at the Allen Noble Hall of Fame on the Boise State campus. The games will take place at BSU, Tamarack Resort, Qwest Arena, Bogus Basin and Idaho Ice World.
The Idaho bid was lead by Jim and Pirie Grossman and a team of business leaders, some of which gathered at the Cottonwood Grille in Boise to wait for a call from the site selection committee earlier today.

NewsChannel 7 was there as the call came in, hours before the official news was made public.
"Just looking around the room and seeing the faces, we know this is the right thing. We knew Idaho was ready for it. We know no one else could really bring what we had to offer and that was the heart,' said Pirie Grossman.

The Special Olympics is a non-private organization that supplies year round sport training and competition in state Olympic games to 1,900 Idaho children and adults with intellectual disabilities.

Boise was one of two U.S. cities among the final four locations considered for the World Winter Games. The other was Reno-Tahoe. Cites in Austria and Germany were also finalists.
Economic impact will be huge

1997 award winning report on Special Olympics Boise will follow in the footsteps of Nagano, Japan -- the host of the 2005 World Winter Games.

Not only is this a major event for participants, but for the Boise area as well. It's estimated the games could bring in as much as $50 mil" More

World Special Olympics Coming to Idaho

FOX 12 Boise - World Special Olympics Coming to Idaho: "World Special Olympics Coming to Idaho

May 25, 2006 03:53 PM MDT
Boise, Idaho -- Idaho has been chosen as the host site for the 2009 World Winter Special Olympics.

Jim Grossman, a supporter of the Idaho Special Olympics, said he got the idea last December for bringing the games to Boise after learning that Sarajevo had dropped out of the running. Now, five months later, Jim said what began as a dream has become a reality.

'We will have for 14 days in February of 2009 -- the world's attention focused on Idaho,' said Grossman.

Boise was actually one of four finalists for the winter games, though Grossman believes members of the Site Selection Committee had their minds made up after visiting the Gem State.

'They finally made the decision over Germany and Poland and Reno, to come to Idaho because of our heart,' he said.

'We've been waiting forever to hear this, and it's been taking a long time, but we finally got it,' said Evelyn Martinez, an Idaho Special Olympics athlete. She's one of the estimated 6,000 participants who are now preparing to compete.

Martinez said she's much more accustomed to swimming events, but says she's looking forward to the winter opportunities. 'The snowshoeing event and meeting friends from all over the world,' said Martinez.

Of course, most Idahoans look to the event as a way to support the athletes. But one can't help but consider the economic impact the event will have the community. More.http://www.fox12news.com/Global/story.asp?S=4915088&nav=menu439_2

Idaho (USA) to Host 2009 Special Olympics World Winter Games

Idaho (USA) to Host 2009 Special Olympics World Winter Games: Financial News - Yahoo! Finance: "
Wednesday May 17, 9:42 am ET
WASHINGTON, May 17 /PRNewswire/ -- Special Olympics global headquarters announced today that Idaho (USA) will be the host site for the 2009 Special Olympics World Winter Games, after a decision was made by the International Special Olympics Board of Directors at their meeting on May 16. Similar in size to a Winter Olympics, the 2009 World Winter Games will attract more than 2,000 athletes from 100 nations to compete in seven Olympic-type sports. Other finalist sites were: Reno-Tahoe (Nevada, USA); Schladming-Graz (Austria) and Garmisch Partenkirchen (Germany).

Following in the footsteps of Nagano, Japan, the host of the 2005 World Winter Games and joining Shanghai, China, the host of the upcoming 2007 Special Olympics World Summer Games, this event will be the largest multi- sport event ever held in the state of Idaho. Possible sports venues include Tamarack Resort, Bogus Basin, Taco Bell Arena, Qwest Arena, Idaho Ice World, Boise Centre on the Grove and Boise State University

'After review of a comprehensive bid proposal and a visit by the Special Olympics World Games site selection committee, it was proven that Idaho provides excellent sports venues, incredible community support and unprecedented passion for the athletes of our movement,' said Jimmy Carnes, Special Olympics Board Member and Chair of the World Games Site Selection Committee.

'Special Olympics World Winter Games provide a global stage for our athletes to showcase their talents and we invite the world to join our world of welcome -- a world of inclusion and mutual respect, without bias or prejudice,' more

Boise to Host 2009 Special Olympic Winter World Games

Boise to Host 2009 Special Olympic Winter World Games Boise New West Network: "Make Hotel Reservations Now
Boise to Host 2009 Special Olympic Winter World Games
By Jennifer Gelband, 5-17-06

Kiss your neighborhood potholes goodbye because Boise was named host to the 2009 Special Olympics World Winter Games.

And two-and-a-half years should give city officials plenty of time to clean up the roadblocks and insist on completing all those skyscraping downtown condos.

The Special Olympics committee announced Tuesday that Idaho won out over Reno and cities in Germany, Poland and Austria to host the Games because, according to the organization�s press release, �Idaho provides excellent sports venues, incredible community support and unprecedented passion for the athletes of our movement.� True.

More than 2,000 athletes from nearly 100 nations will compete, and they will, of course, bring coaches, volunteers by the thousands, television crews, and Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, who is on the board of directors. The committee expects more than 10,000 guests and spectators to attend the event in January and February of 2009. And that, in turn, will be a landslide for Boise tourism and commerce.

And many local venues where the games will be played will benefit, too, such as Boise State University, Tamarack Resort, Qwest Arena, Bogus Basin ski resort, and Idaho Ice World skating rink. In the winter games, Special Olympics athletes compete in seven sports: alpine skiing; cross country skiing; snowboarding; snowshoeing; speed skating; figure skating; and floor hockey.

This is not just a gain for Boise; it is a gain for the United States. Every two years, the Special Olympians convene from around the globe to compete, exhibit their skills and celebrate the spirit of the games. If you’ve never seen the World Games, this is great human athleticism that draws attention to building understanding and acceptance for athletes with disabilities.

Jim and Pirie Grossman of Destiny Productions and a team of community members led the bid to select Boise. When selecting the site, the committee takes into consideration “the positive impact the World Games has on host cities and surrounding communities, and the lasting social legacy that can be left as a result of the Games.”

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"