Special Olympics Missouri to build training facility in Jefferson City
Special Olympics Missouri announced Tuesday it will build a new training facility in Jefferson City. The facility will be placed on over 15 acres of land near Highway 179.
Construction will not start until the entire $12.5 million dollars is raised, but organizers have already reached more than half of their goal, with plans to start work in 2016.
Special Olympics told ABC 17 News a big factor in their was decision was the fact they could own the land in Jefferson City rather than lease it in Columbia.
The organization said both programs in both cities will continue to grow. Columbia will still continue to host area competitions.
Jefferson City Mayor Eric Struemph said the community will benefit from the location, and its expected to bring in $1 million from tourism.
“This project being based here is obviously huge, and also SOMO staying here and along with this new project is one million dollars of salaries a year for our community,” said Struemph.
The Jefferson City Chamber of Commerce initially thought the possibility of having the center in the city was unlikely. The decision process took over a year.
