In a happy yet surprising turn of events, the International Olympic Committee has announced that it is entering into “targeted” negotiations with France after its PACA-Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes bid to host the 2030 Winter Games outperformed all other contenders.
Following the initial round of discussions concerning the possible location of the 2030 Winter Olympic Games on 28th November, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) made the surprise announcements that the Southern France bid shared by the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur and Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes regions was so strong that it had become the sole candidate.
The French bid, which includes plans for the construction of a massive ice rink in Nice, was a last-minute addition to a list that included Sweden and Switzerland, but clearly demonstrated its strengths and potential to position itself as the leading, and now only, contender.
See more: Could the 2023 Winter Olympics be coming to Nice?
Karl Stoss, Head of the IOC Future Host Commission, has confirmed that the IOC will now move into “targeted dialogue” with France’s Olympic Committee, with the goal of awarding the 2030 spot officially at the 142nd IOC Session in Paris next July, when the French capital will be hosting the 2024 Olympic Games.
VENUES ON THE COAST AND IN THE ALPS
While the majority of the outdoor and mountain-based events will take place in resorts such as Méribel, Courchevel, Val d’Isère and La Clusaz, the indoor competitions – hockey, speed skating, figure skating and curling, for example – could be held in a new purpose-built facility in Nice.
The long-time mayor of the city, Christian Estrosi, took to social media to express his delight at the prospect, saying “In a little over six years, the 2030 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games could be held in the French Alps, [it is] the only file retained by the IOC for the final stage! This is fantastic news for our country, our region, the Nice Côte d’Azur Metropolis and the City of Nice.”
He went on to add, “The IOC considered this to be the only application that had all the assets for the organisation of these Games in 2030. These Olympics are a fantastic opportunity for Nice: to make France shine on the world stage and also to provide our territory with equipment that will mark the 21st century.”
French Olympic Committee President David Lappartient has previously stated that 95% of the sites and facilities needed for the Games are already in place, and a budget of €1.5 billion has already been secured to ensure the venues are correctly provisioned for such a major occasion. The ice rink in Nice will be the recipient of a portion of those funds.
This will be France’s fourth time hosting the Winter Games, after Chamonix in 1924, Grenoble in 1968 and Albertville in 1992.
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Image via Christian Estrosi / Facebook