SPECIAL Olympics Jamaica (SOJ) finally has a multi-purpose sports facility of their own.

The courts, located adjacent to the National Indoor Sports Centre at Independence Park Limited (IPL), was officially opened on Thursday afternoon and was graced by retired NBA basketball great Rick Fox and sprint legend Usain Bolt.

Through a partnership between Digicel Foundation, Independence Park Limited and NBA Care Team, of which Fox is an ambassador, the facility was constructed at a cost of $8.2 million.

The court will allow over 4,000 registered special needs athletes to develop skills in volleyball, basketball, netball and bocce.

Canada-born Fox, the former Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics star, encouraged support for Special Olympics Jamaica. He expressed “pleasure” at being in Jamaica and stressed the “warm feeling” he felt because of how he was received at the opening ceremony of the court.

Jamaica’s Bolt, the world-record holder over 100 and 200 metres, said he attended the opening because he felt compelled to support athletes with disabilities, many of whom are his friends.

The SOJ executive director Lorna Bell said the opening coincides with the intensifying of preparation for the Special Olympics Games in the United States this summer.

“We now have our own home and it has come at the right time when we are preparing for the 2015 Special Olympics World Summer Games in Los Angeles, California, where bocce, basketball, badminton and volleyball will be four of the sports that they will be competing in,” she said.

Dillon Robinson, a special needs athlete, gave the vote of thanks on behalf of his peers. He said they are happy to have the chance “to train regularly” on their own court.

In delivering the keynote address, Minister with responsibility for sport Natalie Neita-Headley noted that Jamaica have participated at numerous Special Olympics Games with distinction.

She said the government is “emphasising inclusion of all persons including those with special needs” as articulated in the National Sports Policy and she urged Jamaicans to focus on the “tremendous” talent and passion shown by Special Olympics athletes.

Michael Fennell, the president of the Jamaica Olympic Association, brought greetings on behalf of the IPL and thanked Digicel Foundation for the “magnificent gesture” in helping to provide courts for Special Olympics Jamaica.

Digicel Jamaica Foundation chairman Jean Lowrie-Chin hailed the “vibrant partnership” which resulted in the opening of the court and called for “greater care” for members of the special needs community.

Jamaica will be among the over 170 countries to grace the 2015 Summer Games from July 25 to August 2. The island’s delegation at the Summer Games is expected to include 69 athletes, 17 coaches and two officials. The team will compete in aquatics, athletics, badminton, unified basketball, unified football, female futsal, volleyball and bocce.

At the end of Thursday’s ceremony, both Bolt and Fox engaged members of the Jamaica unified basketball team in friendly match-ups.

Some athletes also tried their hand at bocce.

The inclusive unified sports programme brings together athletes with intellectual disabilities and individuals without these disabilities as teammates for training and competition.

In bocce, players use an underarm action to bowl a ball at a target. Points are gained by the ball’s proximity to the target.