Fridae

The Federation of Gay Games (FGG), the international governing body for the Gay Games, voted on Tuesday in an online ballot to select Chicago over Los Angeles to host the seventh Gay Games in 2006 after months of deliberation.

The Canadian city of Montreal was the original site for 2006 Games but both parties broke off the contract negotiations last November due to key financial and logistical concerns.

Organisers, Montreal 2006, will however go on with their new event, Rendez Vous 2006, and had announced their decision the day before the FGG announced its new selection.

Chicago plans to hold the games July 15-22, 2006 while Rendez Vous 2006 will run from July 29 - August 5.

The Midwestern US city hopes to draw about 12,000 competitors to and a similar number of visitors while Montreal's plan provides for 14,000 athletes and 2,000 artists and performers.

The Gay Games were first held in 1982 in San Francisco, and travel to a different city every four years. The 2002 games which was held in Sydney, Australia generated direct spending revenue of more than US$60 million.