World OutGames Cancels Events Hours Before Start, Costs Miami Beach At Least $200,000

BY JERRY IANNELLI FRIDAY, MAY 26, 2017 AT 2:49 P.M.

In a nation where literally zero of the thousands of athletes currently playing in the big four professional sports — football, basketball, baseball, and ice hockey — are openly gay, the fact that Miami Beach was hosting the 2017 World OutGames, billed as the Olympics for LGBTQ athletes, was a huge societal step forward.

But one day before the event was set to take place, Miami Beach City Manager Jimmy Morales sent the City Commission a letter warning that the company running the games appeared to be in deep financial trouble. And this morning, most of the events were abruptly canceled, mere hours before the games were set to begin — upsetting athletes who traveled here to compete, and costing the city a minimum of $200,000 in wasted advertising money.

That $200,000 fee doesn't even include the time city employees spent coordinating the events, finding athletic venues, orchestrating fundraisers, and paying for added police services to cover the event, as well as permitting fees the city either waived or hasn't yet received for the event.

"It is with deep regret that due to financial burdens, World OutGames must cancel opening and closing ceremonies and sports programming with the exception of aquatics, country western dance, and soccer," the games announced in a press release this morning. "The Human Rights Conference and cultural programs will continue as planned. We thank everyone who has supported the effort and apologize to those who will be impacted by this difficult decision."

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