Corner Brook hosting Special Olympics Canada in 2016

The City of Corner Brook will play host to the 2016 Special Olympics Canada Winter Games, unveiling the official logo for the event on Friday.

More than 30 local athletes will be competing against 720 other competitors from across the country in the games, slated to begin Feb. 29 to March 6.

This will be the first time the games will be held in Newfoundland and Labrador.

"There is so much experience here in terms of hosting big events in Corner Brook [with] fantastic sports venues that we'll be using for all of our competitions," Sharon Bollenbach, CEO of Special Olympics Canada, said.

"It's a great choice for us and it will be an outstanding experience for our athletes."

Trish Williams, executive director for Special Olympics Newfoundland and Labrador, said the games will be a great opportunity for the province on a number of levels.

"It's also a chance for us with Special Olympics Newfoundland and Labrador to grow the number of athletes we have in our programs and grow our volunteers with the new increased awareness of our programs," Williams said.

Terry French, minister of Tourism, Culture and Recreation, said the provincial government would be providing $500,000 to support the games.

Athletes will compete in seven events, including snowshoeing, alpine skiing, cross-country skiing, curling, figure skating and floor hockey.