Paris, France will host the 2018 Gay
Games, officials announced Monday night at a press conference in
Cleveland, Ohio, site of the games' ninth iteration to take place
next summer.
Three cities competed for the
opportunity to host the Olympic-style sporting event estimated to be
worth $60 million in economic impact: Paris, Limerick and London.
Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson was given
the honor of announcing the winner.
Jackson opened a sealed envelope, then
said, “It is Paris.”
Paris organizers sealed the deal with
an inspirational 4-minute video titled Imagine Paris 2018.
(The video is embedded on this page. Visit
our video library for more videos.)
The win comes just months after France
approved a gay marriage law. Debate over the bill spilled out into the
streets of Paris, where tens of thousands protested for and against
the measure.
Paris' Deputy Mayor Philippe Ducloux
said that “for all Parisians, it will be an honor to welcome the
10th Gay Games. All participants will be welcome.”
Cologne, Germany last played host to
the games in 2010.