CLEVELAND -
CLEVELAND -- Let the Games Begin!
The Federation of Gay Games announced Tuesday that Cleveland, Ohio will host the the 2014 Gay Games.
"It means a lot for Cleveland socially and economically," said John Katssaros, owner of Twist in Lakewood and member of Cleveland Synergy. He says, "It's beyond belief. We've been waiting for this for a long time."
Countless volunteers, business leaders and organizations like Cleveland Synergy and Positively Cleveland worked around the clock for the past year to win the games. "I worked 15 hours a day," said Jamie Moore, "it was a lot of work for us but we had the support of Cleveland City Council, the Mayor and Governor."
Moore says they also had the support of the community, "Normally the gay community is not used to people being supportive, but it shows Cleveland is a city of open arms, that accepts everyone no matter what."
Those lobbying for the games had to convince the F.G.G. that Cleveland was a great place for both sporting events and cultural activities. Cleveland beat out other cities like Boston and Washington, D.C. to host the games, by gaining votes from the European Delegation.
The city pledged to invest $700,000 to the games and $1.3 was collected in donations to support city services during the games, but Amir Eylon, director of Ohio Tourism says "It is a solid investment." When the games were held in Chicago in 2006, it brought millions to the local economy.
Eylon says, "100,000 visitors will come to Cleveland and they will bring $60 million to the local economy."
More than the money, supporters of the Gay Games say it will send a positive message to the world that Cleveland is no longer the "mistake on the lake."
Jamie Moore says, "We will be put on an international page not just national but international. And people will know us for more than sports teams that don't win or a burning river," he says, "we can show the entire world that Cleveland, Ohio is the best midwest city in the world."
The Federation of Gay Games announced Tuesday that Cleveland, Ohio will host the the 2014 Gay Games.
"It means a lot for Cleveland socially and economically," said John Katssaros, owner of Twist in Lakewood and member of Cleveland Synergy. He says, "It's beyond belief. We've been waiting for this for a long time."
Countless volunteers, business leaders and organizations like Cleveland Synergy and Positively Cleveland worked around the clock for the past year to win the games. "I worked 15 hours a day," said Jamie Moore, "it was a lot of work for us but we had the support of Cleveland City Council, the Mayor and Governor."
Moore says they also had the support of the community, "Normally the gay community is not used to people being supportive, but it shows Cleveland is a city of open arms, that accepts everyone no matter what."
Those lobbying for the games had to convince the F.G.G. that Cleveland was a great place for both sporting events and cultural activities. Cleveland beat out other cities like Boston and Washington, D.C. to host the games, by gaining votes from the European Delegation.
The city pledged to invest $700,000 to the games and $1.3 was collected in donations to support city services during the games, but Amir Eylon, director of Ohio Tourism says "It is a solid investment." When the games were held in Chicago in 2006, it brought millions to the local economy.
Eylon says, "100,000 visitors will come to Cleveland and they will bring $60 million to the local economy."
More than the money, supporters of the Gay Games say it will send a positive message to the world that Cleveland is no longer the "mistake on the lake."
Jamie Moore says, "We will be put on an international page not just national but international. And people will know us for more than sports teams that don't win or a burning river," he says, "we can show the entire world that Cleveland, Ohio is the best midwest city in the world."
