By David Gold
July 22 – Mayor of Bordeaux Alain Juppé has announced that the Vinci Concession and Fayat architectural group has won the right to construct a new stadium in the city, which will host games at the 2016 European Championships.
In May Bordeaux was confirmed as one of 12 locations for matches during the tournament.
The project is estimated to cost approximately €165 million (£147 million/$237 million), and is also supported by Herzog & de Meuron, the Swiss architects who constructed the Allianz Arena in Munich, the home of German giants Bayern.
Juppé said: “This new modern, efficient building of a very high quality should be comfortable and accessible for those of limited mobility.”
The project beat off rival proposals by Bouygues and Eiffage for the 43,000-seater stadium.
The new ground will replace the 2009 Ligue 1 champions Girondins de Bordeaux’s current 35,000 capacity venue, the Chaban-Delmas, which has been described as not fit for the modern era by club President Jean-Louis Triaud, who has spoken of his hopes for the new venue.
Triaud said this week that he wants the stadium to have a classic Greek look modelled on other stadiums of a similar appearance around the world.
“I like the principle of a classical Greek construction, peripheral stairs which surround the stadium,” he said.
“I have seen beautiful stadiums in France and elsewhere where you have this impression.”
The new stadium – which is scheduled to open in 2015, a year before France stages the European Championships – will be funded by both private and public sources.
The state will provide €28 million (£25 million/$40 million), with another €15 million (£13 million/$22 million) coming from the Aquitaine region, and €17 million (£15 million/$24 million) from the city of Bordeaux.
Girondins de Bordeaux will then contribute €20 million (£18 million/$29 million) via their owners, TV chain M6, with a further annual payment of €3.85 million (£3.4 million/$5.5 million) over the next 30 years.
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