In addition to this spectacular development, the mayor of Nice still wants the construction of a new ice rink a stone’s throw from the stadium.
Le Figaro Nice
Three venues will host ice sports during the Winter Olympic Games in 2030, in Nice (Alpes-Maritimes), including the Allianz Riviera stadium, which will be transformed to host hockey matches. “It’s spectacular, but above all it’s economical since it can be assembled and disassembled”defended Mayor Christian Estrosi on this subject, Thursday, in the columns of Dauphiné Libéré. The stadium, usually reserved for football and OGC Nice, will be split with a central stand, which will also house changing rooms. Two ice rinks could thus be set up on each side, using the already existing stands.
Inaugurated in 2013, the Allianz Riviera with its 35,0000 seats does not have a roof; a sort of giant tarpaulin measuring 13,000 square meters and which will form a bubble, will be installed to cover these two temporary ice rinks. “The evolution of technologies makes it possible to imagine a temporary roof adaptable to the existing roof which already completely covers the stands”said the elected official in the regional daily.
Visual of the French Alps candidacy
The Palais Nikaïa, another existing venue reserved more for shows and concerts, in the west of Nice, will also be equipped for curling events. Despite the Jean-Bouin ice rink in the city center, considered to be aging, a new venue for ice sports is still desired by the Nice councilor and planned as part of this successful application from the French Alps. This would be the only “legacy” construction from these Olympics, defends the municipality, which subsequently intends to leave it to the Nice hockey club which plays in the first division.
This 4,000-seat facility is still planned near the Allianz Riviera stadium, in the Var plain. The figure skating and short track speed skating events will take place there, according to the plans presented. But this development will be subject to a modification of the local metropolitan urban plan, as environmentalist elected officials alerted them by writing to the prefect of the Alpes-Maritimes, who confirmed this point to them this summer. In the current “PLUm”, the area is reserved for housing construction. If this can be reviewed, the Nice metropolis will have to prove “its ability to maintain the production potential of a social housing supply”indicated the prefect in response to questions from these elected officials, opposed from the start to these Winter Olympic Games in France.
New housing will be in question for the Nice Olympic village with 1,500 beds announced again in the surrounding area, this time behind the stadium, with an announced built surface area of 22,000 square meters for buildings.
