GRAND RAPIDS, MI (WKZO AM/FM) – Special Olympics Michigan Thursday announced their Building Tomorrow’s Champions campaign, a multi-million-dollar fundraising effort to renovate and transform the former Grand Rapids South Christian High School into the world’s largest Special Olympics facility, known as the Special Olympics Unified Sports and Inclusion Center.
Founded in 1968, Special Olympics Michigan provides year-round sports training and athletic competition to children and adults with intellectual disabilities and serves more than 23,000 athletes and their families through twenty-four sports.
The campaign has already raised more than $6.7 million to renovate the facility. Over 100 community donors, local businesses, and area foundations have supported the campaign to date. Thursday’s announcement marks the beginning of the public phase of the campaign, which when completed, will total over $20 million.
When finished, the renovated campus will feature new sports fields across the 17-acre property, expanded space for programming, administrative offices, and educational and wellness space for those served by Special Olympics and its partners.
The campus is anticipating hosting regional, statewide, national, and international competitions that are expected to generate millions in economic development for West Michigan over the coming years.
