The LGBT Community Center of Greater Cleveland is reporting that City Council tonight approved $700,000 in support of the region’s 2014 Gay Games bid. That amount (in cash) will be made available if the Federation of Gay Games chooses the bid later this month, on Sept. 29.

We spoke to Jeff Axberg, organizer and member of the Cleveland Synergy Foundation, which is leading the effort. Axberg tells us that in addition to the $700,000, the city is providing $1.3 million of in-kind donations, including police, barricades and use of Browns Stadium for the opening and closing ceremonies. (We broke the news on Spangle’s Twitter feed earlier tonight, which twitterers/tweeters/twatters clearly should be following.)

This is the second major action by City Council, which earlier approved a domestic partnership registry, in part as a way of showing the federation that the region was behind the bid.

It appears the Synergy folks are getting all of their gay ducks in a row for this bid. The $2 million in city support is on top of more than $500,000 in private support already committed, Axberg says. That’s a nice chunk of change toward the projected $8.2 million costs of the games.

A delegation from Cleveland travels to Cologne, Germany, beginning Sept. 24. (The trip is being underwritten by Positively Cleveland, Northeast Ohio’s convention and visitors bureau.) The group will make its presentation Sept. 28. And by 1:30 p.m. the next day, the world will know if Cleveland has been a successful David in beating the Goliaths, er, Boston and D.C., for the massive event, which could bring 10,000 hot, sweaty, athletic participants to venues throughout the region.

If you’d like to give a fond “bon voyage” to the delegation, the Synergy peeps will party at Twist Social Club (11633 Clifton Blvd.) on Sept. 22, beginning at 7 p.m. Axberg says several members of City Council have been invited to join the sporty send-off soiree.

Spangle plans to check in with organizers ahead of the trip. And of course, stay tuned to Spangle Sept. 29, as we’ll break the selection news as soon as we have it.

Previous Gay Games coverage:

The Gay Games Bid: What the Selectors Saw

The Gay Games Bids: Gold, Silver or Bronze

Catching Up With Our Gay Games Bidders

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