The Grand Stadium may not happen in the Var plain. Many supporters and fans of the Gym learned the news with some relief and the secret hope of seeing the new nest of the eaglets flourishing on the hill of Ray, where the current stadium of OGC Nice is located.
“Anyway, it was nonsensical to build a stadium in the Var plain when it would be so simple to rebuild the Ray stadium where it currently stands.” Bertrand, a loyal supporter and resident of the neighboring Saint Sylvestre district, does not hide his joy regarding the decision of the Alpes-Maritimes Prefect to stop the construction of the grand Nice stadium even before it had begun.
In May 2005, a petition composed of more than 10,000 signatures was submitted to the Nice City Hall under the auspices of Ray e basta (https://www.planetenice.com/ray-e-basta/), an association made up of supporters and die-hard fans of the red and black team, wanting to keep their proteges’ green rectangle at Ray.
But let’s take a step back; it must be acknowledged that the ideal location for the new Nice stadium, necessary for the club’s progression and ordered by the French Football Federation, seems indeed to be more suitably located in the city center. Indeed, besides the fact that stadiums located away from city centers generally receive only a lukewarm reception from the public—the neighboring Juventus of Turin is a perfect example—there remains the issue of using it outside of matches and other sporting events. Not to forget that the tramway would certainly provide an ideal solution for supporting the eaglets without having to drive.
Building a stadium is quite an affair in Nice, and the project of renovation and reconstruction of the current stadium will shatter after a dark tale of corruption involving the city of Nice’s director of services, Michel Vialatte, who will be accused of influence peddling, corruption, and favoritism. From that day, the new location of the grand stadium will shift a few kilometers to settle on the outskirts of the Var with the perspective of constructing the future Nice sports city.
There was almost a general outcry among the supporters of the red and black house, yet the decision to build the stadium in the Var plain will still go forward forcibly, with the contract entrusted to the Cari-Spada company, which will face significant challenges with the suspension or loss of this market.
It always comes back to Ray, but everything seems to suggest that the most sensible project is certainly the expansion of a stadium Léo Lagrange, which could also bring many benefits for the Nice hills and their city center. Indeed, besides the stadium itself, its immediate surroundings are of major importance and the possibility of opening the stadium’s shopping center all year round is already a major asset in choosing a downtown location. This shopping center, equipped with various shops, restaurants, sports stores, and a club shop, would greatly interest major national brands as well as many local merchants. Major economic benefits, coupled with the possible organization of other sporting spectacles, would provide a financial foundation for a project that is both solid and feasible.
Many elected officials and notable figures of Nice had positioned themselves for the Nice football stadium to remain at Ray, and this new surprise decision, contrary to the plans of the Nice City Hall, will kill two birds with one stone, perhaps allowing the envisagement of a new project located on the current site of the Azuréen cauldron.
