One year after Chicago hosted nearly 12,000 sport and cultural participants at the 2006 Gay Games®, Chicago Games, Inc., (CGI) the host organization for the event, announced that it has completed the post-Games fund-raising and wind-down process, and that the 2006 Gay Games broke even. Such a positive financial result reverses a 20-year trend, having not been achieved since Gay Games II in 1986. CGI accomplished the result with two fewer years planning time than most Gay Games.

“We are extremely grateful to our many donors, sponsors, volunteers, partners and vendors whose commitment and contributions made today’s announcement possible,” said Tracy Baim, CGI board co-vice chair and leader of the wind-down efforts. “Each deserves the appreciation of our city and the worldwide LGBT sports community.”

Sponsors and donors are still listed on the Gay Games Web site at www.GayGamesChicago.org.

“We would like to extend special appreciation to partners Dick Uyvari and Joe La Pat, Chicagoans who significantly funded the 2006 Gay Games international scholarship program and created a Gay Games matching grant program to assist in the post-Games fundraising,” said Sam Coady, CGI Board Co-Chair.

After a heat wave and other circumstances increased expenses and created the need for additional fund-raising, Uyvari and La Pat donated additional financial support. Uvyari is a longtime Gay Games supporter, having competed in six of the seven Gay Games. Other key post-Games donors included Fred Eychaner, Michael Leppen, and former U.S. Ambassador James Hormel and his partner, Tim Wu.

“We also extend a special thanks to the international Federation of Gay Games for their significant assistance in ensuring that the 2006 Gay Games finished in a financially sound position,” said Kevin Boyer, CGI Board co-vice chair. The FGG is the international governing body of the quadrennial sports & cultural festival. Going forward, the FGG will continue to receive royalties from the 2006 Gay Games DVD, photography-based products and residual commemorative merchandise sales.

More than 100 other individuals, vendors and partners also added their support through cash and in-kind donations and expense reductions. The law firm of Sidley Austin extended its pro bono service, assisting CGI as it wound down operations and finances. CGI board members Tracy Baim, Suzanne Arnold, Kevin Boyer, Sam Coady, Kurt Dahl, Eric McCool, Christopher Pries, Renae Ogletree and David Woody, as well as CGI former staff members Liz Valenti, Cathy Seabaugh, and Rob Smitherman were among those who assisted in the wind-down efforts.

The Gay Games have always been a boon for the local economy. Nevertheless, the past three Gay Games host committees lost significant amounts of money, threatening the future of the quadrennial sports & culture festival. For the first time ever, the Gay Games also faced a competing LGBT sports event. Held in Montreal just one week after the Gay Games, that competing event’s host organization ended up losing several million dollars.

Chicago’s business model differentiated itself by dramatically increasing corporate partnerships, relying significantly upon volunteer professionals and pro bono services, establishing a sponsored worldwide marketing and media campaign, and outsourcing non-core elements to third parties.

The 2006 Gay Games themselves contributed $50 to $80 million to the local economy, with some estimating that another 10 years of positive GLBT tourism visibility will generate millions more dollars in the long term.

Gay Games VII Sports and Cultural Festival took place 15-22 July 2006.

The week-long event included 11,750 athletes from 50 countries competing in 30 sports. For more information, visit www.GayGames.org. [Source: ChicagoPride.com]