(Montreal, Quebec) — Less than a year into planning for Gay Games VII, the Montreal organizing committee has begun to scale back on their plans for the international gay sports spectacular in 2006.

Following a recent meeting with the Federation of Gay Games (the international organization that oversees the games), Montreal organizers have gone back to the drawing board in an effort to ensure the financial viability of the project, which has had difficulties in recent incarnations in Sydney and Amsterdam.

The Federation says that it is unlikely that the projected 19,000 athletes will register. It also doubts the Montreal estimate that 5,000 people would participate in the cultural events that are staged along with the games. Following a meeting with the Montreal committee and after examining financial commitments it was agreed the number of participants would likely be closer to those of previous Gay Games.

“We’re pleased that Montreal 2006 has submitted a revised, downscaled budget to us,” said Federation co-president Kathleen Webster. “Montreal is already far ahead of previous Gay Games hosts in terms of financial resources available three years in advance. However, after extensive discussions with the Sydney 2002 organizers, it was clear we needed to develop a conservative business model and not overreach to ensure the event’s financial stability.”

Montreal 2006 has $2 million (Canadian) in guaranteed financial aid from the federal and provincial governments. In addition, the City of Montreal has pledged use of its sports venues, an estimated value-in-kind contribution of $1 million.

In a statement, the Federation said it views the Canadian government support as a smart investment in an event that, by all previous measures, has consistently generated positive economic benefit for local and regional economies. The Australian Tourist Commission’s estimated economic impact for last November’s Gay Games VI in Sydney was at least $70 million ( Canadian).

Webster said, “Australian government sources were enormously supportive of Sydney’s Gay Games with in-kind services — such things as office space, equipment, security assistance, and various municipal services during the week of the games. But government cash investment in 1999 or 2000 at the level of Canadian government support for the 2006 Gay Games might very well have made the difference in Sydney’s ability to break even or, in fact, show a profit.”

Montreal 2006 is currently basing its plans on 15,000 participants. That is similar to the number who attended Amsterdam in 1998, the largest Gay Games to date. The Federation has agreed in principle to that number for Montreal’s budget purposes, although Sydney’s widely reported Gay Games deficit was more than $1.5 million (Canadian) with about 13,000 participants.

“Obviously, the more participants you have the more income you will generate in registration fees, merchandise and ticket sales,” Webster said. “Sydney actually hoped to have several thousand more participants. The local organizers believe the tragedies of 9/11 and Bali had an impact on their not reaching total capacity.”

North Americans make up the largest percentage of Gay Games participants. In 2006 it will have been 12 years between North American Gay Games, so participation demand could be unprecedented.

“During the start-up phase every host is very optimistic about what it can achieve,” said Kathleen Webster, Federation co-president. “Sydney had many plans when they bid in 1997 that eventually they could not implement. Their experience is teaching some important lessons for all future Gay Games hosts.”

One of those lessons is that it is best to start small and build up rather than talk about plans to rival an Olympics, which Mantaci said some organizations do when they’re originally bidding to host the Gay Games.

“We already know how to run most of the sports very, very well,” Mantaci said. “But we can still do a better job of distributing results immediately, which is vital in an Internet age. There are a number of things like that which need improvement before we can expand the size of the Gay Games.”

Mantaci cited housing and registration logistics as just two areas that become more difficult when the number of participants increases. As more services are provided during the week of the games, more volunteers are needed for implementation.

With a metropolitan population smaller than Sydney’s, Montreal will need the help and support of volunteers earlier than ever to put on a successful Gay Games. That is particularly true since Gay Games VII is scheduled to coincide with Divers/Cité, Montreal’s annual gay and lesbian pride celebration, which takes its own small army of volunteers to stage each year.