US Olympic Training Headquarters to Move to New Jersey

Mercer Lake in Princeton, New Jersey is to become the US Olympic training headquarters following the announcement of the development of the current facilities a New Jersey online newspaper revealed earlier this week.

Representatives of the Princeton International Regatta Association (PIRA) unveiled their plans for a 1.5 million US dollar expansion which prompted the United States Rowing Association (USRA) to confirm Mercer Lake would become an Olympic training centre.

The project, funded solely by donations, will add three boat bays, office space, training rooms and shower facilities to the existing boathouse. Part of the expansion also involves plans for a bay for the use of Mercer County public schools. This will be available free of charge as part a programs aiming to make rowing more accessible to high schools.

Executive Director of USRA told the local newspaper, that the organisation will be a tenant in the facilities and that the National Olympic team will occupy the space as a gift from the PIRA. 

Mercer Lake was host to FISA’s first ever Zurich Rowing World Cup event outside of Europe earlier this year.

The development of the facilities is expected to begin in December and should be completed by late spring early summer 2002.