Posted October 14, 200816 yr Cleveland will make a bid to host the 2014 Gay Games Posted by Robert L. Smith/Plain Dealer Reporter October 15, 2008 21:00PM Categories: Real Time News Cleveland will vie to host the 2014 Gay Games, a sporting event with a global audience, and try to impress a lucrative demographic group that maybe knows little about Northeast Ohio. Promoters of the city's bid will fly to South Africa next week, where the Federation of Gay Games is holding its annual meeting, and begin to plug Cleveland as a diverse, tolerant city with good athletic venues... http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2008/10/cleveland_will_make_a_bid_to_h.html Cleveland group announces Gay Games bid Tuesday Oct 14, 2008 The Cleveland Synergy Foundation has scheduled a press conference in Cleveland Wednesday to discuss its bid plans to host Gay Games IX in 2014. According to its web site, still under construction, the foundation is "organized and operated to measurably enhance the economy, image and quality of life in the greater Cleveland GLBT and straight community by attracting and creating significant cultural, athletic and benevolent events and festivals." Partners in the venture are the Greater Cleveland Sports Commission and Positively Cleveland Convention and Visitors Bureau... http://www.edgeboston.com/index.php?ch=news&sc=&sc2=news&sc3=&id=81883
October 15, 200816 yr OH MY GAWD Have I died and gone to gay heaven? In order to pull this off, we need atleast one W Hotel and SHOPPING downtown. No Queen wants to party all night, then have nowhere to brunch and shop off the alchohol the next day. This will mean that there will definitely be a "marked" gayborhood and a distinct and unique opportunity to enlarge and enhance (Gay & Lesbian) bars/lounges in the area and around the city. Now lets hope these queens can get over their internal power struggles and do this right!
October 15, 200816 yr ^You never know, we just kicked the arses of a certain Superbowl champ team, didn't we? :-D clevelandskyscrapers.com Cleveland Skyscrapers on Instagram
October 15, 200816 yr This would be great for Cleveland...or any Ohio city for that matter. Good luck.
October 15, 200816 yr Up against Boston and Miami? Sorry C-town. You are not gonna win this one. They have a better chance, why? I'm interested in hearing your opinion. The only place that Miami is ahead of us is Hotel sector but Boston is a grade above in the Hotel & Public transportation sector.
October 15, 200816 yr After looking up attendance records, it looks like the Chicago gay games in '06 brought in about 140k visitors. Seems like Cleveland has the infrastructure to manage that. I like the idea of big events being in Ohio cities because the midwest has so many large population centers, yet people on the east coast could still get here in a day's drive or a short flight.
October 15, 200816 yr Hi all, " Up against Boston and Miami? Sorry C-town. You are not gonna win this one. " This past July Cleveland hosted the Gay Lesbian International Square Dance Convention. We were up against D. C., Atlanta, Phoenix and Vancouver. We got it on the 1st vote. Just over 1.000 square dancer participated, including a number of local s from th straight groups. The farthest travelers were The Edo Eight from Tokyo and several from Denmark. O course our brothers and sisters from Canada made a great showing. Before I forget a number of couples from Alaska and Hawaii. So don't count us out TheCOV. :-D Warm nuzzles and bear hugz for all. Jim S.
October 15, 200816 yr In order to pull this off, we need atleast one W Hotel and SHOPPING downtown. Paging Bob Stark...
October 15, 200816 yr In order to pull this off, we need atleast one W Hotel and SHOPPING downtown. No Queen wants to party all night, then have nowhere to brunch and shop off the alchohol the next day. Shop off the alcohol? LOL That's a new concept to me.
October 15, 200816 yr In order to pull this off, we need atleast one W Hotel and SHOPPING downtown. According to some on this site, there is PLENTY of wonderful shopping downtown. I too think this would be fantastic to have here. If there's anything we can do as citizens to help sway the decision, someone let me know.
October 15, 200816 yr I don't think anyone has ever said that. What some have said it is not as bad as some make it out to be.
October 15, 200816 yr In order to pull this off, we need atleast one W Hotel and SHOPPING downtown. According to some on this site, there is PLENTY of wonderful shopping downtown. I too think this would be fantastic to have here. If there's anything we can do as citizens to help sway the decision, someone let me know. Notice I said, NO QUEEN. Meaning no gay man with any shopping sensibilities (sorry Punch and ProzakNo5) will want to come here or be thrilled with our current options. The first thing they will say is: – What are the clubs like? – Where can we eat? – Where can we shop? – What Cleveland's attitude toward gays/what's the gay lifestlye like in Cleveland? The Queens will drive to Beachwood to shop like they do in Atlanta, Dallas or Houston, but would prefer to shop on street like Chicago, or NYC. Granted large gay events happen in Philly and DC and they have about the same "in city" shopping options Cleveland has. I've been to two gay games and if this happens, folks will make a week of it. I know the Queens will want "fabulous" not Hampton Inn budget. When tower city first opened, and Higbee's and MayCo were still opened, Downtown was super gay!
October 15, 200816 yr Granted large gay events happen in Philly and DC and they have about the same "in city" shopping options Cleveland has. .........
October 15, 200816 yr I think Cleveland's already got the "Where can we eat?" thing covered. The shopping thing is huge, even for those of us who aren't queens ;). I for one did not move downtown in order to have to drive a half hour to get to the stores I want to go to!!!!!! Anywho, already been discussed time and time again over in the WHD thread...
October 15, 200816 yr I think Cleveland's already got the "Where can we eat?" thing covered. The shopping thing is huge, even for those of us who aren't queens ;). I for one didn't not move downtown in order to have to drive a half hour to get to the stores I want to go to!!!!!! Anywho, already been discussed time and time again over in the WHD thread... Sweetie, I couldn't agree more!
October 15, 200816 yr Granted large gay events happen in Philly and DC and they have about the same "in city" shopping options Cleveland has. ......... Yeah, I'm with David on this one. Does Georgetown not count as "in city" shopping? Even downtown DC has a Macys, Zara, H and M, Urban Outfitters, Burberry, etc. Cleveland does NOT have that...as for Philly, Idk since I've never been.
October 15, 200816 yr Granted large gay events happen in Philly and DC and they have about the same "in city" shopping options Cleveland has. ......... Yeah, I'm with David on this one. Does Georgetown not count as "in city" shopping? Even downtown DC has a Macys, Zara, H and M, Urban Outfitters, Burberry, etc. Cleveland does NOT have that...as for Philly, Idk since I've never been. I retrospect to the location. In DC the sporting venues are very spread out. In cleveland we have downtown and pockets(just like DC and Philly) of retail shopping cooridors. Of course G-town counts as in city as well as the stores on Conn near Dupont.
October 15, 200816 yr Yeah, I'm with David on this one. Does Georgetown not count as "in city" shopping? Even downtown DC has a Macys, Zara, H and M, Urban Outfitters, Burberry, etc. Cleveland does NOT have that...as for Philly, Idk since I've never been. I didn't really pay close attention to individual stores but downtown philly just seemed like it had a lot to offer in general whe I visited. Streets were packed and vibrant late on a Tuesday night. I wasn't there very long but it seems like more fun than Chicago. Granted large gay events happen in Philly and DC and they have about the same "in city" shopping options Cleveland has. ......... Yeah, I'm with David on this one. Does Georgetown not count as "in city" shopping? Even downtown DC has a Macys, Zara, H and M, Urban Outfitters, Burberry, etc. Cleveland does NOT have that...as for Philly, Idk since I've never been. I retrospect to the location. In DC the sporting venues are very spread out. In cleveland we have downtown and pockets(just like DC and Philly) of retail shopping cooridors. Of course G-town counts as in city as well as the stores on Conn near Dupont. You know you wish Ohio were more fashion forward
October 15, 200816 yr You know you wish Ohio were more fashion forward Yes Dear, Fashion Forward not Fad Forward.
October 15, 200816 yr Is the Cleveland Sports Commission involved with this? IMG? I hope they get on board. Funny story, when the gay games were here in Chicago, I was bartending at one of the three restaurants my buddy owns near Soldier Field. He wanted to show support for the games by putting up pride flags at all of the stores. Our places did ALOT better than the places that did nothing for it. That said, I felt a little guilty because I worked in the shot and a beer bar part of the company. A lot of people wandered in after seeing the pride flag and assuming that we were a gay bar, while we are definitely gay friendly, we are just not a gay bar. I felt we baited and switched the poor people, they would all stay for one round, then scurry off up to north Halsted. (P.S. The lesbians would stay for at least two rounds)
October 15, 200816 yr (P.S. The lesbians would stay for at least two rounds) Well you know those gals drink "two fisted"!
October 15, 200816 yr ^lawd. They do. They go out for drinks with friends. Meet a Lady, the next day they go out for brunch at their local Home Depot and before you know it they are at driving out of the parking lot of Uhaul with a moving van and off into the sunset as a new couple. Moral of the story kids: If you want to meet someone and get married within 24 hours, become a card carrying Lesbian.
October 15, 200816 yr To clear up any misunderstanding..... the quote from my earlier post, "Up against Boston and Miami? Sorry C-town. You are not gonna win this one" was not meant to be particularly negative. I love Cleveland and am constantly defending it against all the real negative crap I hear all the time. I'm a huge fan. HUGE FAN. My comment has nothing to do with the reality that Cleveland could indeed provide a wonderful stage for such an event. The problem is the prevailing attitude that the target audience has about the location. If Cleveland could indeed win the bid, I suspect that the marketing campaign would need a major component that addresses this issue in order to generate attendance figures that add up to a successful event. The selection committee will no doubt have to take issues like these into account when deciding how to offer an experience they can sell. I have a suggestion. Offer lots of cocktail centered river/lake cruises, and maybe some home/architectural tours. I'm sure there are other things we could dream up. We gays love that crap. LOL. The idea is to offer the things that appeal to this audience, and then do it up Cleve-style!! Give them an experience they can carry forward to spread the good word about Cleveland.
October 15, 200816 yr To clear up any misunderstanding..... the quote from my earlier post, "Up against Boston and Miami? Sorry C-town. You are not gonna win this one" was not meant to be particularly negative. I love Cleveland and am constantly defending it against all the real negative crap I hear all the time. I'm a huge fan. HUGE FAN. My comment has nothing to do with the reality that Cleveland could indeed provide a wonderful stage for such an event. The problem is the prevailing attitude that the target audience has about the location. If Cleveland could indeed win the bid, I suspect that the marketing campaign would need a major component that addresses this issue in order to generate attendance figures that add up to a successful event. The selection committee will no doubt have to take issues like these into account when deciding how to offer an experience they can sell. I have a suggestion. Offer lots of cocktail centered river/lake cruises, and maybe some home/architectural tours. I'm sure there are other things we could dream up. We gays love that crap. LOL. The idea is to offer the things that appeal to this audience, and then do it up Cleve-style!! Give them an experience they can carry forward to spread the good word about Cleveland. This is a SPORTING EVENT first and foremost. That is the main objective and at the Gay Games there are lots - and I mean lots - of hetrosexual athletes that participate. I don't want to mention certain sports, because I don't inadvertently out someone, yet there were several sports at the Chicago gay games where hetro athletes participated because the medal favorite happened to be gay and people came to compete against the best. Those gay cruises/cocktail offerings are not unique, you can do that in Boston, Philly, DC, Savannah, Miami/Ft. lauderdale, etc. Those things will come as long as the city continues to attract residents and event spaces to the core. If we land the games, every business would be smart to join the marketing campaign as we all know GLBT community traditionally has more disposable income and they spend the most of it on Leisure travel.
October 15, 200816 yr MTS, we are on the same page. However, it can be emphasized enough that I don't think the average person understands that they can have these experiences in Cleveland. They can't get past the perception the city has nationally. Foreclosures, population loss, crime, dirty washed up steel town, close minded attitudes.....u get my point. You need participants AND spectators in order to pull this off.
October 15, 200816 yr MTS, we are on the same page. However, it can be emphasized enough that I don't think the average person understands that they can have these experiences in Cleveland. They can't get past the perception the city has nationally. Foreclosures, population loss, crime, dirty washed up steel town, close minded attitudes.....u get my point. You need participants AND spectators in order to pull this off. Actually that sounds like natives of the region, not outsiders.
October 15, 200816 yr ^ LOL! LOL mi culo! "Foreclosures, population loss, crime, dirty washed up steel town, close minded attitudes....." sounds like only a native, sheltered, ill informed resident of the NE Ohio would say.
October 15, 200816 yr They have a better chance, why? I'm interested in hearing your opinion. The only place that Miami is ahead of us is Hotel sector but Boston is a grade above in the Hotel & Public transportation sector. Costs? Advantage Cleveland. Cenralized location in United States? Advantage Cleveland. I'm with you on this MTS. Cleveland can pull it off. "Foreclosures, population loss, crime, dirty washed up steel town, close minded attitudes....." Washed up steel town? I though that was what people say about Youngstown? The whole point of something like this is for Cleveland can get in the national spotlight and enjoy free publicity while doing it. It's meant to change people's perception of Cleveland. It will probably make the city look more progressive and competitive with other large markets. Keep in mind, Cleveland still is one of the 20 largest media markets in America, which ranks it significantly higher than the other cities in Ohio, and all but a handful of Midwestern cities (only Chicago, Detroit, and Minneapolis are larger). C-dawg. You've been dead on point with some posts this week. We've actually agreed.....scary! :-o Actually only Chicago is larger in all categories. On an average the Cleveland Metro area is ranked between 11-13 based on what information/data is used.
October 15, 200816 yr Wow MTS you seem especially nasty today...... Those outsiders that have not been to Cleveland do think that way, since that is what they have read. Yes TheCOV, those are things that would show Cleveland in a nice light, and I got the Cleveland style, since Cleveland is its own unique city, with unique assets. One thing that Cleveland has working against it in the gay world, (mostly for the outsiders that come to visit), is there isnt really a ground zero for gays, like many cities have (its Halstead street or what you would call the gay ghetto). I remember when I would have thought this was Clifton, but not so much now. There are lots of great and cool areas that are gay friendly, but not much of a district that they can hang out in. This is an issue for many things in Cleveland, too many districts of too many spread around things that unless they know about them, it doesnt always leave the best of impressions.
October 15, 200816 yr Where C-town beats whom, and in what sector, is not the issue. I believe that Cleveland is capable of not only pulling off an event like this, but surprising the hell out of people with what a great time they could have....if they would just give Cleveland a chance. At it's most basic level, the issue here is one of IMAGE and the PERCEPTION of said image. PERIOD.
October 15, 200816 yr Wow MTS you seem especially nasty today...... Those outsiders that have not been to Cleveland do think that way, since that is what they have read. Yes TheCOV, those are things that would show Cleveland in a nice light, and I got the Cleveland style, since Cleveland is its own unique city, with unique assets. One thing that Cleveland has working against it in the gay world, (mostly for the outsiders that come to visit), is there isnt really a ground zero for gays, like many cities have (its Halstead street or what you would call the gay ghetto). I remember when I would have thought this was Clifton, but not so much now. There are lots of great and cool areas that are gay friendly, but not much of a district that they can hang out in. This is an issue for many things in Cleveland, too many districts of too many spread around things that unless they know about them, it doesnt always leave the best of impressions. Nasty? When am I ever nasty? Trust me, you kids have NEVA seen me be nasty. TRUST!
October 15, 200816 yr Wow MTS you seem especially nasty today...... Those outsiders that have not been to Cleveland do think that way, since that is what they have read. Yes TheCOV, those are things that would show Cleveland in a nice light, and I got the Cleveland style, since Cleveland is its own unique city, with unique assets. One thing that Cleveland has working against it in the gay world, (mostly for the outsiders that come to visit), is there isnt really a ground zero for gays, like many cities have (its Halstead street or what you would call the gay ghetto). I remember when I would have thought this was Clifton, but not so much now. There are lots of great and cool areas that are gay friendly, but not much of a district that they can hang out in. This is an issue for many things in Cleveland, too many districts of too many spread around things that unless they know about them, it doesnt always leave the best of impressions. As a straight man, many people fail to realize we have several gay friendly neighborhoods, not just a gay ghetto. Although, Ohio City, Shaker Square and Detroit-Shoreway sure appear very gay to me. The problem is not the district, but (yes, I'm preaching to the choir) in my expert opinion the GENERAL MARKETING - rather lack there of a marketing strategy - of the city overall.
October 15, 200816 yr As a straight man...? I actually love the way it is and stated Cleveland has many gay friendly hoods, but the gays like to go somewhere that has a gay central feel to it (an active gay district)and are often disappointed when it isnt apparent.
October 15, 200816 yr As a straight man...? I actually love the way it is and stated Cleveland has many gay friendly hoods, but the gays like to go somewhere that has a gay central feel to it (an active gay district)and are often disappointed when it isnt apparent. Yes...aren't you straight. Besides across the country many areas that were "gay havens" are now being taken over by the "stroller set". Edgewater, The Village, Dupont, Halstead, Midtown-atl, Miami Beach, Market East, etc.
October 15, 200816 yr No sorry! Yes typically it does shift around. Dupont and 17th street in DC are no longer really the gay ghettoes that they had the reputation for were here in DC, due mostly to the shifting of the gay population towards Logan Circle (the gays that had initially come in and redid the neighborhood have now cashed out and moved to east). Now the center is more U street and the 14th Street area.
October 16, 200816 yr C-Dawg you're crazy. Who cares about DMA? Have you ever been to Miami/Miami Beach/Ft. Lauderdale? Metro Cleveland is much smaller. No one visiting Cleveland is going to go "Hey lets go do some shopping in Akron" or "lets party in Pennsylvania ad check out the clubs there".
October 16, 200816 yr C-Dawg you're crazy. Who cares about DMA? Have you ever been to Miami/Miami Beach/Ft. Lauderdale? Metro Cleveland is much smaller. No one visiting Cleveland is going to go "Hey lets go do some shopping in Akron" or "lets party in Pennsylvania ad check out the clubs there". NO David, in the use of his example, C-dawg is correct. I feel I can safely say, nobody here is saying that any attendee will drive to akron, etc to shop, dine, sight see, etc.
October 16, 200816 yr No sorry! OH.....You're on our team? Who knew?! I did, but I'm the HBIC so it's part of my job description ;-) clevelandskyscrapers.com Cleveland Skyscrapers on Instagram
October 16, 200816 yr Cleveland will make a bid to host the 2014 Gay Games Posted by Robert L. Smith/Plain Dealer Reporter October 15, 2008 21:00PM Categories: Real Time News Cleveland will vie to host the 2014 Gay Games, a sporting event with a global audience, and try to impress a lucrative demographic group that maybe knows little about Northeast Ohio. Promoters of the city's bid will fly to South Africa next week, where the Federation of Gay Games is holding its annual meeting, and begin to plug Cleveland as a diverse, tolerant city with good athletic venues... http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2008/10/cleveland_will_make_a_bid_to_h.html
October 16, 200816 yr Positively Cleveland in this article just makes me think again it is an HIV+ support group in Cleveland. Otherwise, cool!!!
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