SJR 19 - SPECIAL OLYMPICS WORLD WINTER GAMES Number 0040 CHAIRMAN COWDERY announced the first item on the agenda was SJR 19, Relating to naming Anchorage as the location of the 2001 Special Olympics World Winter Games. Number 0068 JOE AMBROSE, Legislative Assistant for Senator Taylor, said SJR 19 offers the support of the Alaska State Legislature to the effort to bring the Special Olympics World Winter Games to Anchorage in 2001. He said last week the organizing committee in Anchorage was visited by a site selection committee. The Anchorage committee will be making their formal bid next month. According to this committee, it would beneficial to have this resolution in hand when they make their formal bid, on May 16, 1997. Senator Taylor has said that he wanted a continued emphasis on the event. The event provides these worldwide Special Olympians the chance to experience the joy of competition, demonstrate courage and share in gifts, skills and friendship which personify Special Olympics. Number 0216 REPRESENTATIVE ELDON MULDER stated that he is on the Board of Directors of the Special Olympics. Number 0227 JIM BALAMACI, Executive Director, Special Olympics Alaska, testified next via teleconference from Anchorage. He said this event would bring 2,000 athletes from 85 countries to Anchorage. This event would bring tremendous goodwill to all of Alaska and have a beneficial economic impact. Number 0295 REPRESENTATIVE PETE KOTT asked who the main competitors were for this bid. MR. BALAMACI said that the bid selection committee visited Anchorage last week. Right now the determination will be based on a financial package to be presented by May 16, 1997. Lake Placid is in the running, but they are currently on hold. Basically the event is Anchorage's. Number 0353 REPRESENTATIVE PHILLIPS referred to the funding for the games and the attachment located in the committee file. She clarified that they were going to try raising between $5 million and $7 million in cash and in-kind donations. She asked if there was a separate fund raising committee, apart from the general organization committee. Number 0380 MR. BALAMACI said yes. He thought the budget was at $8 million, of which $3 million has been identified as in-kind donations through the city and the military. There is a completely new 501C3, called the games organizing committee. He listed the executive board and Senator Stevens as the honorary chair. The board of directors will be responsible to raise the needed funds. They will also hire an executive director and a fundraising person to attain the funding. Presently there are organizations who have come on line. A guarantee has been made that if there is a monetary short fall, money would be available to pay off the event. Number 0454 REPRESENTATIVE PHILLIPS referred to his letter, located in the committee file, requesting $85,000 from the legislature through a reappropriation fund and asked where he was with this request. Number 0465 MR. BALAMACI explained that this request is for the state Special Olympic program which is separate from the games organization. Number 0493 REPRESENTATIVE PHILLIPS asked about the legislative appropriation for the program. Number 0497 MR. BALAMACI hadn't heard an answer to his request. There is support, but it is difficult finding those funds. Number 0525 REPRESENTATIVE PHILLIPS made a motion to move SJR 19 from the House Special Committee on International Trade and Tourism with individual recommendations and accompanying fiscal note. Hearing no objection, it was so moved.