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With just 100 days until the 2014 Special Olympics USA Games makes its way to Mercer County, planners and area officials are gearing up for a series of events.

(Courtesy of 2014 Special Olympic)

With just 100 days until the 2014 Special Olympics USA Games begin in Mercer County, planners and area officials are gearing up for a series of events that will kick off in New York City, end at the Sun National Bank Center in Trenton and bring more than 100,000 people to the state.

“One of the goals is to underwrite an event that athletes from around the county will never forget. It’s going to be unbelievable,” said T.J. Nelligan, chairman and CEO of the 2014 Special Olympics USA Games. “All of the above and beyond we’re doing is because of all of our great corporate citizens, some of which have contributed seven figures.”

The U.S. version of the Special Olympics takes place every four years.

This year, a Law Enforcement Torch Run will begin June 11 on the set of Fox & Friends in New York City as personnel from all 50 states carry the Special Olympics Flame of Hope that will be used to light the cauldron during the opening ceremony.

Those participating in the torch run will navigate three different routes and then reassemble on the steps of the capitol building in Trenton on June 13. A spokeswoman for the games said the exact route will not be decided until mid-May.

The run will then go to the Trenton-Mercer Airport in Ewing on June 14 where more than 1,200 athletes will be arriving.

“Flights carrying athletes and their families are expected to land at Trenton-Mercer every 90 seconds, which would make the airport on that day one of the busiest airports in the nation,” Mercer County Executive Brian Hughes said in an e-mail.

Aircraft manufacturer Cessna is coordinating its seventh Citation Special Olympics Airlift, an “organized” means of transportation where jets will transport athletes and their families from across the country to the Ewing airport, according to the aviation company’s website. Passengers onboard will vary between three and seven athletes, plus a coach or sponsor. The company is seeking Citation jet owners from across the country to volunteer to fly athletes to the games.

The opening ceremony will begin at the Prudential Center in Newark on June 15 with the parade of athletes, entertainment and the lighting of the cauldron.

Competitions begin June 16 through June 19 as a total of 3,500 athletes participate in 16 Olympic-style sports, including basketball, golf, gymnastics, soccer and tennis. In addition, 10,000 volunteers, 1,000 coaches and up to 90,000 spectators and visitors are expected.

Nearly 90 percent of the events associated with the games will take place in Mercer County. Scheduled sites include Princeton and Rider universities, The College of New Jersey, Mercer County Park, The Lawrenceville School, The Hun School, The Peddie School and Sun National Bank Center, as well as the Brunswick Zone-Carolier bowling alley in North Brunswick.

“Behind the scenes, county emergency management officials and law enforcement are finalizing plans for safety and security, medical and crisis management and transportation, which we are coordinating with our partners at our local hospitals and colleges,” Hughes said.

Throughout the week, a Healthy Athletes event at TCNJ will provide free health screenings — including hearing, dental and fitness — for the athletes competing.

Athletes also will be treated to special events, including a dinner cruise for a different group of athletes each night on the Hudson River in New York. They will see the Statue of Liberty before heading back to New Jersey to continue the competition.

Athletes will appear as featured guests during Trenton Thunder games throughout the week, Nelligan said.

The games will culminate with two events June 20, including the Unified Sports Festival at TCNJ where members of the community can participate in sports with Special Olympics athletes.

The closing ceremony will take place at Sun Bank National Center.

“We’ve had our wheels in motion for more than a year and will be ready from the moment those planes land at Trenton-Mercer to the moment we wave goodbye to the athletes and visitors,” Hughes said.

As the region prepares to host the games, business officials announced in December the June events will lead to $116.5 million in spending for the Central Jersey economy.

Nelligan, the father of a 23-year-old Special Olympics athlete, said he hopes to promote how life-changing the games can be.

“Most people don’t know how great it is and how much it changes their child’s life by building self-confidence,” he said.

For more information, visit www.2014specialolympics.org or call (609) 482-2292.

Contact Nicole Mulvaney at nmulvaney@njtimes.com.

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