It is, of course, what the mayor of Nice hopes for, who assures that he has “taken all necessary legal precautions to meet the schedule.” Because the objective is clear: to make the supporters forget all the setbacks that the different projects have experienced and finally offer the fifth largest city in France the venue it deserves. A significant supporter has joined the red and black fans, as it is the coach of the Aiglons. Frédéric Antonetti did not stop last week asking for a stadium, explaining that it was necessary to move from words to actions. A stance that the city’s first elected official did not appreciate much: “He is a good coach, I have immense confidence in him. I do not claim to be a coach. He does not have the qualifications of a public administrator. Each in his role.”
Needless to say, if everyone seems to be fighting for the same cause, they are not starting on equal footing. But it doesn’t matter because the most important thing is indeed to offer a fitting venue to Olivier Echouafni’s teammates within five years. Besides, everything has already been thought out by the team. The stadium will have 35,000 to 40,000 seats, will cost between 50 and 100 million euros as part of a public-private partnership that may include the club, and whose construction should represent a “significant saving for the taxpayer” according to Christian Estrosi. “It will not include an athletics track as requested by Mr. Cohen and Mr. Stellardo and will be able to host rugby matches, or more rarely concerts and exhibitions. “But I especially want it to be a model architecturally and especially environmentally,” added the mayor of Nice.
The Saint-Isidore site will thus host the future venue, the same place where the previous project was supposed to be. The stadium will occupy eight of the twenty-four available hectares, the rest being shared between eco-city, shops, and parking lots. The mayor of Nice thus shows that he values his development plan for the plain of the Var more than anything, of which the module presented yesterday is only a small part.
Christian Estrosi takes care of OGC Nice and wants to make it known. He has asserted that all decisions will be made in agreement with the club, and especially that he will ensure that a new training center is built within two years. “It will be located between the Saint-Isidore shopping area and the Manda bridge. It will be set up by the club with the support of the City, the General Council, and the Agglomeration.”
A global announcement that delights the Gym president: “I am very moved, it is a great day. Some supporters lacked impatience (the mayor corrects him and says “patience”, Editor’s note), yes, that’s right patience. It is a complicated file but we are satisfied because there is a schedule that is in place. I feel that OGC Nice is a stakeholder. I am therefore happy, especially since the delivery date seems correct to me.”
Until 2013, the red and black will have to play at the Ray. It is not certain that this will please Frédéric Antonetti, but he will have to get used to it, at least he has been heard. After the victory in the derby last Saturday, a new success this weekend against Bordeaux would close a perfect week for OGC Nice, something they had not experienced for a long time.
