Doing any large-scale event requires a huge amount of teamwork. Doing one 'under the gun' in a quick timeframe with a competitive event also means heightened stress, scrutiny, and a mountain of conflict and controversy.
After all, some people have the personality to love the adrenaline of jumping off a cliff, and others step back and wait to hear if there's a loud crash at the bottom.
Producing the 2006 Gay Games in?Chicago required, to state the obvious, a lot of blood, sweat and tears. It tested the limits of individuals, and it also provided an opportunity for Chicago to shine.
As Co-Vice Chair of the Gay Games VII board, I was intimately involved in all aspects of the event. Our team of board, staff, volunteers, sponsors, donors and vendors had a herculean task, and we certainly admit that things were not perfect. With more time and resources, including more staff, we might have accomplished even more. But at every turn, we made sure to watch the bottom line, to make decisions based on a conservative plan, and to do what was best for the City of Chicago.
To list our key allies and partners would be impossible. There were thousands of people, businesses and non-profits who helped us. There were many who also tried to hurt us, or who stood on the sidelines. But for the most part, we experienced amazing support from our community and the Chicago region, from the city of Chicago itself to Oak Park,?Evanston, Crystal Lake and beyond.
What we learned could fill many volumes, in terms of what works for a Gay Games and even for larger multi-sport events. We operated on a budget of around $9 million cash plus $13 million in barter ( supplies, services, marketing, etc. ) . Olympic budgets are measured in the billions, for an event that actually has fewer athletes than the Gay Games. We learned to make choices each day based on the athletes and the economics. We avoided flash and parties, and focused on realistic goals.
Many people will have opinions about what worked and did not for the Gay Games; all I can really do is reflect on what it meant for me.
As the publisher of Windy?City Media Group, the Gay Games caused me to think far outside the normal box of publishing. It forced me to get out from behind my computer and camera to visit places around the U.S. and the world. I was able to meet athletes and performers from all parts of our planet, and it really opened my eyes to our community's true diversity. My mother was a great world traveller, but I had rarely desired to leave the constant happenings of Chicago. Prior to the Gay Games, I was unable to be absent—the Gay Games forced me to delegate, and to learn from gays and lesbians beyond our country's borders.
I also learned so many new skill sets, including development, scholarships, government relations, venues, culture, marketing, ceremonies, and more. I was forced to juggle dozens of meetings each day, all over this region, and I was able to see so much more about what makes our government and institutions work.
Probably the most long-term impact for me was meeting so many new and amazing people. While I have to say many folks let us down, far more really shined in their contributions to our success. There were individuals and companies who went so far beyond our expectations, that my tears at the Opening Ceremony July 15, 2006, at?Soldier Field really were for those behind the scenes.?So many gave so much, not for the recognition, but to be part of something bigger than themselves.
These people, and these companies, are what kept me inspired on a day-to-day basis, in those two intense years prior to the Gay Games, and in the following year after, when we still had a DVD to produce, and final fundraising to do.
Looking back, I am not sure how we actually did what we did. I could list the building blocks, list all the meetings, even list many of the people who played vital roles. But the glue that held it all together was magical. Whether it was Dick Uyvari and Joe La Pat inspiring other donors, Mayor Daley's incredible speech at Soldier Field, a vendor further discounting services, or a volunteer showing up at 4 a.m. at the triathlon to put out the Gatorade. Whatever it was, we were a very fortunate board of directors, to have been so blessed in our support.
What was most important to me were those people who stood by us, even when things were toughest. They would e-mail, call or send post cards cheering me on, especially when we would face yet another attack from Montreal's competing event. The friends and family I had standing by my side empowered me to face even the toughest and most negative enemies, those that made this a personal fight, or those who would try to ruin our individual reputations for their own personal gain.
My partner Jean processing thousands of photos, my sister Marcy and brother Clark driving soccer shuttles, my dad Hal taking photos, my employees taking on extra work so I could attend even more 6 a.m. meetings—all became my heroes. My friends who gave every dollar they could, and new friends I made because of the Gay Games, also motivated me through the final hurdles.
I thank all of them, and all of the volunteers I never was able to meet. Our victory—the Gay Games finishing as a break-even effort—is for the entire community to share.
— Tracy Baim, Publisher, WCMG;
Co-Vice Chair, Gay Games VII
