D.C. In Contention for Gay Games

A D.C.-Baltimore 2012 Olympic bid may have failed a few years back, but D.C. may get a different multi-sport event instead. Metro Weekly reports that the Federation of Gay Games recently named D.C. as one of four finalist cities for the 2014 event.

Team D.C. president Brent Minor believes D.C. has a good shot at getting the Games and told Metro Weekly, "Washington, D.C., has a strong, committed, diverse organizing committee that is experienced in running international gay, sport tournaments. Our clubs have hosted every major gay, sport tournament that there is. I think that bodes well for our city." Minor was recently elected co-president of the FGG Board of Directors and will step down from Team D.C. to do so.

In a release last week, the FGG announced that 14 cities worldwide submitted letters of intent to host the ninth Gay Games. The 14 were whittled down to four, all in the U.S.; Miami, Cleveland and Boston are also in contention.

This isn't D.C.'s first bid for the Gay Games. In 2003, Metropolitan Washington, D.C. Gaymes, Inc. formed to bid for the 2010 Games, but didn't get as far as the bidding process; Cologne, Germany, is hosting the 2010 Games.

The first Gay Games were held in San Francisco in 1982, and like the Olympics have been held every four years since. The last Games were held in Chicago two years ago and featured over 30 sporting events. If selected, D.C. would be the fourth U.S. city to host the event.

Photo by Grundlepuck.