The pressure is mounting again around Nice. The question mark surrounding the ice sports venue for the 2030 Winter Games grows larger every day. The conditions for hosting ice hockey events have become a focal point of tension in recent weeks: the new mayor, Eric Ciotti, categorically rejected Plan A, which envisioned installing two ice rinks within the Allianz Riviera stadium, with a temporary roof. This was deemed too expensive and too restrictive for the local football club, OGC Nice. Compromises must therefore be found, and quickly. This is proving difficult, to the point that the Organizing Committee for the XNUMX Winter Games is now openly discussing a possible relocation to Lyon or Paris.
The "very high cost" of the Nice alternatives
Two technical meetings took place last week, on Tuesday and Thursday. The stakeholders quickly approved the idea of installing an ice rink at the Exhibition Palace, where more than 9.000 spectators could gather. Subject to approval by the International Ice Hockey Federation, the second competitive ice hockey rink is planned for the Palais des Expositions in Nice. The other ice hockey events scheduled in Nice remain unchanged. " The OCOG confirmed this on Tuesday. However, things are getting complicated for the main ice rink.
Eric Ciotti's team proposed a temporary installation at the Arboras rugby stadium, which will soon be expanded, or at the Charles-Ehrmann stadium. The South region announced Thursday evening that the technical feasibility of the project had been demonstrated, and all that remained was to study " the calendar and financial feasibility The OCOG finally dampened this optimism on Tuesday: The technical, temporal and financial analyses carried out have highlighted the limitations of these options, particularly with regard to their very high cost and their impact. "Nice therefore finds itself without a solution to present, while the map of sites must be finalized in less than two months.
The pressure from Paris and Lyon
Edgar Grospiron needs certainty, and at this stage, Nice seems less and less capable of providing it. The OCOG, which had been firmly attached to the French Riviera city until now, has broken a taboo by suggesting the relocation of the ice hockey tournament. "In a spirit of restraint and budget optimization, the OCOG has decided to broaden its investigations by studying the mobilization of existing facilities in other major cities such as Lyon or Paris, meeting in particular a minimum capacity of 10.000 gross seated places. »
A glimpse of the LDLC Arena in its Olympic configuration.
Behind the scenes, Lyon's mayor, Grégory Doucet, began lobbying several weeks ago, letting it be known that he was ready to come to the aid of the OCOG. No major obstacles are anticipated from Lyon's perspective, as the city is very well connected, close to a large number of other competition venues, and has already had experience hosting the 2028 Ice Hockey World Championships at the LDLC Arena. The 2030 Alpine Olympic Games must remain in the French Alps. This is the promise made to the Olympic world, the very essence of this bid, and what the LDLC Arena is ready to embody with pride and ambition. " declared Alexandre Aulas, president of ThrillStage, the company that operates the Arena, on Tuesday afternoon, emphasizing that it represents " the most credible, most successful and most sustainable solution ».
The Paris Entertainment Company, which operates the Accor Arena and the Adidas Arena in Paris, has also submitted a bid to host hockey games in the capital. Speaking to AFP, it emphasized his experience in organizing major sporting events " and " his commitment to the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games “Like Lyon, Paris will host the World Championships in 2028 with the Accor Arena. So there are no homologation issues with the International Ice Hockey Federation. Breaking up the ice hockey hub would obviously be regrettable, but the French Alps don't really have much of a choice anymore.” Our analyses have led us to consider existing equipment that is more suitable and energy-efficient. Several options are being studied to ensure that the facilities fully meet our requirements. " Edgar Grospiron noted in Tuesday's press release. The executive meeting on May 11 should finally shed some light on the situation.
