Photo by Ted Eytan.

Photo by Ted Eytan.

The District lost out on the 2022 Gay Games, which will be held in the Hong Kong, the Federation of Gay Games Annual General Assembly decided on Monday in Paris.

D.C., Guadalajara, and Hong Kong were the three finalists to host the games, which are expected to bring about 15,000 athletes and 100,000 spectators to the awarded city. The games, held every four years since 1982, bills itself as an “event for inclusion and respect of diversity.”

A delegation that includes Mayor Muriel Bowser, Ward 2 Councilmember Jack Evans, Ward 4 Councilmember Brandon Todd, and members of the D.C. Gay Games Bid Committee headed to Paris late last week to present on behalf of the District. The entire D.C. Council and Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton had all issued support for the bid, and Bowser promised $2 million towards supporting the games should D.C. win the hosting gig.

Destination DC, a non-profit paid for through D.C.’s hotel occupancy tax along with membership dues, footed the bill for the Paris trip.

As a place that consistently hosts large events like the Inauguration, D.C. argued that it’s already prepared to accommodate the games, which will include more than 36 sports and 14 cultural events. The delegation also said that the District’s strong record of inclusivity and active community of LGBTQ sports teams made it a great fit.

But it wasn’t enough. Similar to its bid for the 2024 Olympics, D.C. fell short before the finish line.

Hong Kong will be the first Asian city to host the games.

“Thanks to everyone who worked so hard on the DC bid for 2022. While we’re disappointed, we’re very proud of the work we did,” the D.C. Gay Games Bid Committee said in a tweet.

Bowser said in a statement that “Our bid proved that Washington, DC is strong not simply because we are diverse, but because we celebrate our diversity and inclusion. As the world questions how the United States will position itself on the global stage, it is incumbent upon all of us to continue showing the world who we really are … We congratulate Hong Kong, and it is our hope that the 2022 Gay Games spark reforms to bring about equality for our LGBTQ friends there too.”

Previously:
D.C. Delegation Heads To Paris In Pursuit Of Hosting The Gay Games

Updated with statement from Mayor Bowser.

Filed Under: bowser, gay games, mayor bowser, paris,