Fridae

While the gay games organisers appealing to the community to buy tickets to the Farewell party, the final ticketed event, to help its bottom line, the winners are said to be the local businesses particularly the hotels along Oxford Street and Sydney's inner-city gyms.

Sydney 2002 co-chair Bev Lange told the Sydney Star Observer that they are "still aiming towards a break-even budget."

Lange confirmed that the organisation currently owed A$450,000 to the Federation of Gay Games in unpaid licensing fees, which are to be paid at the end of the Games.

"Tickets are moving quickly, but there is still a way to go," Lange said.

The Sydney Morning Herald reported that Sydney's inner-city gyms are experiencing record-breaking revenues since tourists began arriving for the games two weeks ago while gay gym City Gym reported a two-and-a-half times increase in revenue since last Monday.

Ivan Livschitz, the owner of Gold's Gym in Surry Hills had up to 200 paying non-members per day since last Monday compared with an average of 12 to 15.

"We've just had one of our best months ever," said Livschitz.

"We've broken records in the last two weeks for revenue and people coming through."

City Gym general manager Zane Whallin said more than 1,000 people had been to the 24-hour gym last Monday compared with an average of 400.

He added that other than tourists going to the gym as part of their regular routine, the gym sees "quite a lot of contestants in the physique and body-building competitions."

While the hotels along Oxford Street are full house, occupancy rates at other hotels are far from spectacular. Wentworth Avenue hotel located near Oxford Street, told the Herald it was disappointed with the extra 10-15 per cent rise in occupancies while a spokeswoman for the Four Seasons hotel said its November occupancy rates were on par with last year.

The sixth Gay Games, which ends on Saturday, is set to inject A$100 million pink dollars into the economy.

This year's Games has over 12,000 participants from 82 countries competing in 31 different sports is open people of any sexuality, gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered, transsexual and straight.