Glendale to serve as host city for 2015 Special Olympics event
Following unanimous approval by the City Council on Tuesday, Glendale is set to be responsible for the lodging, food and activities of 100 athletes participating in the July 2015 Special Olympics World Summer Games for three days prior to the opening ceremony.
The sponsorship is estimated to cost about $50,000, according to a city report, but that cost can be backfilled by in-kind donations and sponsorships from community groups.
“We’ll be really proud to have them in our community,” Councilwoman Laura Friedman said.
The Special Olympics is set to bring 7,000 athletes with disabilities from 170 countries and an estimated 500,000 spectators to 27 venues in Los Angeles, with opening ceremonies scheduled at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
As a host city, Glendale will provide a place for athletes to practice and rest before the games.
Todd Hunt, incoming president of the Glendale chapter of Kiwanis International, said his club plans to help raise funds to bring down the city’s hosting costs.
“This is an opportunity as a community that I don’t think we can pass up,” Hunt said.
Cities from Long Beach to San Diego, including Burbank, Calabasas and Pasadena are expected to host delegations, according to a city report.
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