“We will build the Grand Stadium, we have no intention of abandoning this project. It will be located in the same place (Saint-Isidore) with a capacity of 30,000 to 32,000 seats… We need to act quickly.” The Senator Mayor of Nice, Jacques Peyrat, is pressed for time. He urgently wishes for the construction of the grand stadium in Nice. He gathered local journalists in his city hall office on Thursday late morning. There were many attendees who anticipated a major announcement, as did Maurice Cohen, who was also present at the press conference. With utopian hopes, some expected a major announcement such as the resumption of construction. It was simply a clarification on his thoughts and the approach to proceed with the construction of the grand stadium before the elections, which all eyes will be on.
After the failure of the Cari project with the PPP (Public Private Partnership) system, the stadium will be built using the “administrative emphyteutic lease” system. The BEA for acronym lovers. The basic nuts and bolts as this method seems to be ideal. Jacques Peyrat explains: “This is a way for a local authority like the City of Nice to lease out real estate for a long duration ranging from 18 to 99 years for the purpose of carrying out a public service mission or an operation of general interest that falls within the competence of the local authority. We are squarely in the middle of it!”
Ultimately, the city will regain ownership of the land and everything built on it over a period long enough for the partner who financed the operation to recover costs. 0€ will be spent by the city. The builder will need to consider a project profitable enough to repay the invested money or even earn a profit. Jacques Peyrat has requested an in-depth study on the legal, economic, and urbanistic feasibility of the BEA. Once completed, a call for projects will be launched at the beginning of summer. The next step will be to select the best one.
Jacques Peyrat displays caution about the schedule even though he hopes it will be as short as possible between two and two and a half years. The National Football League will not allow OGC Nice to play at the Stade du Ray indefinitely. The city must spend €300,000 to carry out some work. It may need to cover the East and West stands. The Senator Mayor, like a cat scalded by hot water, anticipates potential snags that could disrupt his estimated delivery timeline of the stadium: “Realistically, 30 to 35 months. Do not take my word as gospel. It will depend on the study, appeals since there are people who do not want us to build a grand stadium, and also on the interest that potential partners will find.” Maurice Cohen, along with partners, will respond to this call for projects. Nothing prevents Cari from making an offer even though there is a dispute of a few million euros with the city hall for the work initiated at Saint-Isidore. Maurice Cohen expressed satisfaction with this solution (see interview). He had even recommended it. The only minor disappointment is that he will have to limit commercial activities. He will have to settle for a restaurant or hotel. The appointment is therefore set for the summer. To be followed passionately.
Reactions from Maurice Cohen
