After a week of hard work, Bruce Schrepple, chief financial officer for the 2009 Special Olympics World Winter Games, is looking at a week of hope.

He hopes that people who pledged money will come through, that some hotels will forgive a few empty rooms, and that the budget will end up in the black.

Schrepple said Monday the worst-case scenario was that the organization would be about $200,000 in the red.

"Until I see the final billing this week, I won't see the final numbers," he said.

One unexpected expense stemmed from four Middle East delegations who flew into Idaho Falls instead of Boise. Most Olympic Games bear the name of a city, but these Games didn't.

"So, when they think Idaho and see Idaho Falls, well, that's where they ended up," Schrepple said. "We had to take care of that situation."

Other unplanned expenses happened right before the Games, when just under 100 teams needed hotel accommodations because host families were not available for them all.

"That could be a $100,000 hit right there," he said, adding that much of that cost was in transportation.

An additional hotel expense could be in rooms not used. The Boise Convention and Visitors Bureau was able to find free lodging for some people, but Games officials had promised to fill a certain number of rooms in contracts signed with hotels.

"We ended up having some teams and athletes and delegates not show up because of the economy," Schrepple said.

Schrepple also is waiting for pledges to come in. Many are in the $3,000 to $5,000 range, but some donors have been hit hard by the economy.

Ironically, it was the free blue and white hand-knitted and crocheted scarves that infused the Games with about $50,000 in donations. Initially an idea to give something to each athlete, the project exploded with more than 55,000 donated scarves.

"It was a tremendous connection between the athlete and the community during the whole event," Schrepple said. "It was very unifying."

Kathryn Sosbe: 377-6401