The Nice City Council reviewed a deliberation concerning the sale of communal land to the Société de livraison des ouvrages olympiques Alpes 2030. This decision aims to create the Olympic and Paralympic village for the 2030 Winter Games and its conversion after the event. The debate highlighted opposing political positions regarding the timeline, cost, and municipal priorities.
On Friday at the end of the City Council, Monique Bailet, Deputy Mayor, presented a deliberation for the sale, under conditions, of land plots located on Avenue Sainte-Marguerite and Boulevard des Jardiniers. The area concerned covers 14,927 m². The land will be situated between Pierre-de-Coubertin Avenue, Sainte-Marguerite Avenue, and Alain-Mimoun Street, near the Allianz Riviera stadium. The transfer aims to allow the construction of the Olympic and Paralympic village for the 2030 Winter Games, as well as the associated real estate program known as “legacy.”
The city of Nice has thus sold the land to the Société de livraison des ouvrages olympiques Alpes 2030. The sale will be preceded by a bilateral promise. The base price is set at 11,500,000 euros (excluding taxes). This value results from an appraisal estimated at 13,470,000 euros, reduced by a 15% margin. A minimum guaranteed price of 10,470,000 euros is set. A profit-sharing clause is provided for the benefit of the city. A discount may be applied under the SRU law.
The operational schedule is already defined. The start of construction is scheduled for April 2027. The handover of the buildings is planned for late September 2029. The complete handover is set for March 31, 2030.
The Solideo launched a call for projects in July to select a group of real estate operators. The submission of final bids will occur at the end of March. The winner will be designated after this deadline.
A Real Estate Project Presented as an Urban Legacy
The site’s conversion after the Games plans for a floor area of more than 25,000 m². The program is mainly focused on housing. It includes free-market and social housing. The social component involves an intergenerational residence with social home ownership opportunities and a student residence. A health center is also planned. Shops and activities complete the project, although the program is not finalized at this stage.
A monitoring committee has been set up. This committee includes local residents and representatives from neighborhood associations. Its stated goal is to identify local needs as the project progresses. Monique Bailet emphasized this aspect: “We are on a site that was designated for social housing, which was a buildable area.”
Opposition Contests the Timeline and Priorities
The opposition groups voted against the resolution. Juliette Chesnel-Le Roux criticized a decision made just weeks before the municipal elections. “Committing the city now to tens, even hundreds of millions of euros (…) for a prestigious event, while our sports infrastructure and municipal facilities are in disastrous condition, is irresponsible.”
The candidate for the municipal election addressed a political choice affecting public finances. The request is to postpone the decision until the next city council, elected in March 2026.
Hélène Granouillac, also a candidate for the municipal election, expanded the debate to include environmental and financial issues. In her speech, several references were made to the Aarhus Convention, exceptions planned by a law proposal, and budgetary estimates: “The 2030 Olympic organizing committee has estimated the budget at 1.9 billion euros, but the General Inspectorate of Finance already estimates these 2030 Games will actually cost nearly 2.4 billion euros.”
Sylvie Bonaldi, an opposition member, raised questions about parking, the types of housing, and the removal of existing parking lots. She also addressed the situation of OGC Nice: “The installation of the ice rink in the stadium will force OGC Nice to find a temporary stadium more than three hundred kilometers away for several months.”
The Majority Cites a Constrained Timeline
The response from the municipal majority was based on the Olympic timeline. “The sale of the Solideo lands is essential to deliver the Olympic village on time,” declared Monique Bailet.
Pascal Condomitti reminded that the awarding of the Games is secured. The city’s financing of the future ice rink, which will serve the Nice Eagles, was presented as limited to 10% for the city. Philippe Pradal condemned a blocking strategy and defended the need to act without delay.
The vote approved the sale. The project now enters an operational phase. The political debate, however, remains open.
