Extension of Nice-Acropolis : a serious reserve

Senator-mayor Jacques Peyrat is in favour of a project of further 10.000 m2 on condition that the extension doesn't change the Lattre de Tassigny's esplanade.

Is Nice-Acropolis going to be allowed to extend. Its competitors have already done so. Last year Cannes has opened the espace Riviera, an extension of the Palais de Festivals. Monaco is going to inaugurate net July 20th the Grimaldi Forum. Nice, since the strong recovery of congress activities in 1998, feels the need to increase the size of a center launched fifteen years ago. This is shown by figures of 1999 : 135 events and 495.000 visitors, spectators or conventioneers, a turnover of 121 million francs. And year 2000 is expected to be exceptional.In front of the extension application supported by Jean Guillon, the president of Acropolis, senator-mayor Jacques Peyrat didn't say no. Still, he has expressed a serious reserve. He said he was in favour of the project, even in favour of the most expensive version which has been accepted by the advanced strategy Center in the feasibility study (200 million francs for additional 10.000 m2). But money will be released only on condition that they find a way to realize this extension without touching the Lattre de Tassigny's esplanade. A place which is precisely between Acropolis and the exhibition hall that should be linked by the extension...According to the senator-mayor, the esplanade is notably essential when the hors-sec plan is operated. And we have to remember that such a plan could have been operated, a few days ago, when a gas pipe broke on Ile de Beauté's square. But, without touching the Lattre de Tassigny's esplanade, the question of extending the center is like squaring the circle...