GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — The world’s largest Special Olympics training center is opening Thursday in West Michigan.
The organization's Unified Sports & Inclusion Center ribbon-cutting ceremony kicked off at 11 a.m.
Athlete Katie VanOverien will carry the Olympic torch in the ceremony. She told 13 ON YOUR SIDE that she is thrilled to be a part of this special moment.
“I’m going to be carrying the torch and light the fire today,” she said. “I’m excited to see my friends and my other teammates.”
After five years of this construction project, the facility will offer a variety of indoor and outdoor features. The 127,000-square-foot training center will have a fitness area, pickleball courts, a collegiate-level track and sports fields for soccer and flag football.
The event will celebrate a historic moment for Special Olympics Michigan (SOMI). 13 ON YOUR SIDE's Juliet Dragos will also be attending the event and celebrating the work SOMI has accomplished over the last 55 years.