During the city council meeting held this week at Nice’s town hall, Christian Estrosi proposed to the municipal councilors to approve the city of Nice’s support for the French Alps’ bid.
Nice is a candidate to host the 2023 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games, a future event which, according to Christian Estrosi, the city’s mayor, would offer an “opportunity for global outreach.” Although the mayor of Nice welcomes this project with joy and enthusiasm, not everyone unfortunately shares this sentiment.
To organize the Winter Olympic Games, the city of Nice must have suitable sports facilities to host the various competitions: curling, figure skating, hockey. With the aim of limiting expenses for the residents of Nice, the mayor presented his plan before the assembly during the city council session.
Sports facilities: a funding responsibility for the people of Nice?
The redevelopment of existing sites will be entirely covered by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). This decision aims to optimize the use of sports infrastructure already in place in the Nice region, thus avoiding the costs associated with building new sites.
Among these existing sites, the Allianz Riviera is considered a potential venue for hosting the men’s skating events. The Nikaia will also be the chosen site for hosting the curling events. As for the Olympic village, which will house the athletes and their companions during the Games, it will be designed to be later transformed into student housing. This transition to a post-Olympic use will give a new life to the infrastructure and meet local needs for student housing.
The construction of a new ice rink next to the Allianz Stadium is planned to host the women’s hockey events. This facility will then serve as a replacement for the old Jean Bouin ice rink. The funding for this project will be divided, with 65% from the State, 15% from the region, and a possible contribution from the department. The remaining costs will be covered by the residents of Nice.
Christian Estrosi, the mayor of Nice, welcomes this approach, highlighting that “this contribution will be the only direct expense for the people of Nice.” This strategy will allow the city to benefit from the positive impacts of the Winter Olympic Games while limiting the financial burden on its residents.
A project contested by the opposition
Concerning the Olympic village and the new ice rink, the issues of funding and post-Olympic use are at the heart of the concerns. Who will assume the construction costs of this village, and will it be temporary or permanent? What will be its capacity, likely fluctuating between 6,000 and 12,000 people? After the Games, what will be the fate of these infrastructures?
The opponents also highlight environmental concerns, pointing out the risk of excessive concrete work in the Var plain. These concerns are heightened by the lack of clarity on the project’s carbon impact, its maintenance cost estimated between 15 and 20 million euros, and the fact that temporary arrangements remain the responsibility of the Olympic committees, without guarantees on their future usefulness.
Nonetheless, Christian Estrosi is hopeful to convince the councilors at the next city council meeting, scheduled in two months.
