South Africa’s bid commission for the 2010 Gay Games is confident the country has a better chance than competitors Germany and France to stage the Games in Johannesburg.
Paul Tilly, marketing and communications officer for the bid commission, told the Mail & Guardian Online South Africa is the ideal place for a number of reasons.
”First of all, the Gay Games have never been staged in Africa before. Here we can provide a first-class experience at a developing-country cost,” he said.
Another important aspect of the bid is the impact of the Games on economic development, job creation and tourism.
”There will be an enormous impact,” he said. ”Based on the Chicago estimate [the city hosting the Games in 2006], we believe the Games in Johannesburg would have a direct economic impact of approximately R500-million, and even more throughout the country.”
The bid commission proposes that the Games be held from October 2 to 9 2010, 12 weeks after the final of the Soccer World Cup.
”We can utilise the Soccer World Cup infrastructure. There is no other country with that advantage. We will have the transport, resources and knowledge ready. But above all, South Africa deserves the Gay Games,” said Tilly.
The commission wants the Games to take place in Johannesburg’s Newtown Cultural Precinct, which will be turned into a village with a transport hub, registration facilities, info booths, ticket sales and food stalls
The precinct will also host sports such as basketball, as well as cultural activities at MuseuMAfricA. Other events will be staged at Ellis Park and in Randburg and Kempton Park, among others.
This year’s major gay event in South Africa will be the Johannesburg Lesbian and Gay Pride Heritage Week’s Pride march from September 17 to 24. Tilly is also the coordinator for Pride, which is themed Pride: Sweet Sixteen: The Right to Be, the Freedom to Express.
Recent financial problems and allegations of mismanagement in the Lesbian and Gay Equality Project, which took over organising Pride, will not have any effect on the Gay Games bid, said Tilly.
”The Gay Games bid commission and the Gay Pride organisation are two separate entities. There is no effect on the bid, gay people or the Games whatsoever.”
In November this year, the Federation of Gay Games will hold its annual general meeting in Chicago. Delegates of the federation, including different sports teams and international gay and lesbian organisations, will then vote on the host country for the 2010 Games.
The initial bid document can be found together with other related information on www.gaygamesjohannesburg.com