Let the bidding wars begin. Gay sports enthusiasts in Cleveland are expected to announce their intentions today to bid on Gay Games IX in 2014. Under the banner of the Cleveland Synergy Foundation, the backers of the bid are scheduled to make the decision public during a press conference and enter a competition also expected to include Boston and Miami.
The new foundation is an effort to “measurably enhance the economy, image and quality of life in the greater Cleveland GLBT and Straight community by attracting and creating significant cultural, athletic and benevolent events and festivals,” according to its web site. The group is partnering with the Greater Cleveland Sports Commission and Positively Cleveland Convention and Visitors Bureau on the bid.
Representatives from both of those organizations as well as the city and Douglas Anderson and Brian Tavolier of Cleveland Synergy are scheduled to speak at the press conference. Anderson and Tavolier are partners in Triad Event Management, and were elected to the Cleveland Pride board last year. Anderson is also President and League Commissioner for the North Coast Athletics Volleyball, which runs the gay volleyball program in Cleveland, and Tavolier is the Executive Secretary and league Secretary and Treasurer for NCAV.
Cleveland is expected to compete with bids from Boston and Miami for the 2014 event. For the first time in the bidding process, bidding organizations are able to propose new sports.
The Federation of Gay Games, which meets this weekend in South Africa, is expected to select a host city in 2009 during their annual meeting in Cologne, Germany. The German city hosts the Gay Games in 2010.
“We are very excited to start this round of the bidding cycle,” Darl Schaaff, Site Selection Officer, says in a prepared statement. “Several organisations have contacted us and we are looking forward to working with them and with any other interested groups during the next two years. The additional flexibility introduced into the sports program will encourage even more exciting proposals from cities throughout the world.”
on Oct 15th, 2008 at 10:48 am
Matt - great news that Cleveland is bidding. Just to clarify, each Gay Games host city has been able to propose new sports for quite some time. There are 22 core sports and a host city is asked to propose up to 8 additional sports. Occasionally, as is the case with Cologne, the city gains FGG permissiont to have more than 8 additional sports. This is designed to allow a host city to offer sports that are more popular in their geographic area, or to use the Gay Games for a demonstration sport. Examples of “additonal sports” in Cologne include Table Tennis and Handball - sports quite popular among LGBT clubs in Europe but not among clubs in the U.S. Flag Football was an “additional sport” in Chicago in 2006 but is not being offered in Cologne.
on Oct 17th, 2008 at 10:33 pm
Spending significant time in all three cities mentioned, I do have to say when you put together a quick glance at all facts, although I would have never thought of it, Cleveland would be an excellent choice.
on Oct 23rd, 2008 at 6:26 am
This would be great for the Games and Cleveland. But, it will shine a glaring spotlight on the nonexistant gay “culture” of the city. i would expect a lot of opposition from the southern Ohio “bible belt”. just a year or two ago when the tourism board board announced they would be advertising to a GLBT crowd to come to Ohio, within hours, there was organized opposition. Hopefully, the planners can overlook that and show Cleveland hosting in a positive light.
on Oct 23rd, 2008 at 9:53 am
The Gay Games would shine a bright light in the “bible belt”. Many LGBTI people are Christian.
Four cities are officially bidding for the 2014 Gay Games. A press release from Cape Town, South Africa is pending review. The Federation of Gay Games is holding an annual meeting in Cape Town, South Africa this week.
Kelly Stevens
Officer of Communications
Federation of Gay Games
on Oct 24th, 2008 at 12:01 pm
Just to clarify matters regarding new sports. As Kevin writes, new sports have been added to the sports programs of any number of Gay Games, and have offered a significant contribution to the development of the Games.
What is new for 2014 is that the introduction of new sports takes place as part of the bidding process, even before a host is chosen. Bidders will be allowed to propose new sports in their bid books, offering voters from the Gay Games Assembly the opportunity to judge bids that can better cater to the infrastructure, interests, and local support available in each city.
It’s not too late to suggest new sports to bidders for Gay Games IX. Those interested in developing new sports for LGBT competition can contact the FGG sports committee at info@gaygames.org.
Marc Naimark
Officer of Sports
Federation of Gay Games
on Jan 5th, 2009 at 4:13 pm
I really dont want to go to Ohio when Boston and Massachusetts are so gay friendly and Boston on the ocean and has Provincetown as well…. not to mention Boston is quite the sports center these days with their winning teams. I also think Boston has all the facilities due to all the colleges there. Go Boston!
on Jan 13th, 2009 at 11:11 am
My parents relocated to Ohio due to my fathers job, and it is the only reason I fly into Cleveland once a year. The city streets are not safe at night, the people themselves were very rude.
Ohio bans gay marriage, it amazes me that while they are not willing to recognize myself and my partner of 15 years they are more than willing to accept our money.
Selecting Boston would at least send a strong “Thank You” to the State of Massachusettes for recognizing our right to marry far before anyone else.