An “Acropolis bis palace”, instead of the current Infernet car park. Delivered from June 2025, for the summit of the oceans, and 90% financed by the State and the United Nations. The latest project of the Nice Côte d’Azur Metropolis, unveiled last week by its president Christian Estrosi, has not only caught the opponents of the demolition of the current convention center on the wrong foot. He also created a surprise on the quays. What do traders and local residents think? If the opinions are obviously not unanimous, the reception reserved by the port district is rather favorable. The same is not true on the web. The trend of online consultation launched by Nice morning on its websites generated some 236 opinions. And these are mostly against the project.
“It Can’t Hurt”
photo">On the Lunel terrace, there are pros and cons.Photo E. G..
On the terrace of Lunel, facing the stalls of the last fishermen, regulars come to enjoy the rays of an almost springtime sun. Around a coffee, a tea, it’s chatting. Everything, nothing… The convention center project on the Quai Infernet? The subject is launched.
There are those who, like Liliane or Jacques, have “nothing against”. The port, Liliane settled there in 1946. And at 86 she didn’t see it change that much in the end. “Except at the very beginning, fifty years ago. When there were still peanut or coal trucks. Once there was even a cow that escaped during a landing. It had made the animation”, she recalls. Even if since then, there is less animation. So this convention center project “it can’t hurt”. “It can only bring people, create activity and therefore work.” Even if at 86 she “prefer to leave it to the young people”! Jacques, he is 79. His father was the owner of the Hotel Suisse. He made his career “At the mayor”. That’s what makes it kinda”doubtful”. “Bringing the port to life is very good”. This project “so much the better for business”. Above all “if it makes it possible to avoid losing the clientele of congress participants with the demolition of Acropolis”. But he still has to go”at the end”. And in a time that is more constrained.
The parking problem
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One concern: the future of Infernet parking.Photo E. G..
Suddenly Jacques, cautious, waits to see. “During the last renovation of the port, we had already been promised to make it a place to live. All we got was a ”pierrade” without a bench or a bit of shade. In summer you can’t take a walk on the quays without risking sunstroke”, he quips under his cap. Joëlle, she does not want to joke. His opinion is “no, no and no”. She hears well”preserve this small place of history”. Especially since no one was forcing the town hall to destroy Acropolis. “It’s not to rebuild another one, a shopping center or whatever on the port” , she storms. Joëlle, 69, sees only disadvantages: “Access is already impossible; there is only one way; it will become a highway; and where are we going to park if they remove the parking lot…”The Infernet parking lot, Kate parks her car there. But the owner of the neighboring real estate agency relativizes: “It’s just a parking lot” . Nothing comparable with a convention center and “passage”what this will bring. And as many potential customers… Enough to satisfy traders. Most are enthusiastic.
“Obviously for us, it can only be a plus”, recognizes the manager of Lunel. Even though she liked it”the idea of a coral museum which appeared in the initial project”. “It remains to be seen whether Nice will be able to sustain such a convention center in the long term, when there is already competition from Cannes and Monaco and we are going to build another in the west., she asks herself. Likewise, Patrick, the boss of the Shounga sees it “the way to revitalize the neighborhood “. “Provided that traders also play the game”et “that we find a solution to keep the parking lot“.
“Don’t Forget Everything Else”
Its bar is at the forefront. Facing the dam. He has “can’t wait to see the final project” . The fishermen who hold their stalls in front of the customs too. Franck, the last sea urchin, has nothing against a convention center. “Provided that this does not relegate to the background the other developments planned in the port project.And in particular the fisherman’s hall. At his side, Steve nods between two customers: “We’ll see if they keep their promises.”. He can’t help but find a little “bizarre“the idea of a convention center on a port.
The president of the maritime union, which brings together maritime professionals, does not “satisfied “Yet. And more to welcome a “major event”such as the top of the oceans. “As long as it does not interfere with maritime activities” , says Nicolas Plumion. But the president of the maritime union prefers to see in this convention center project an opportunity: that of “co-build the development of port activities”with the Metropolis which, to carry it out, will first have to take over the management of the platforms: “We now only have one interlocutor, things are clearer.”
Especially since the community has already made a number of commitments. With the dockers in particular. “All congress logistics should go by sea says Christian Cornard, their CGT union representative. Just like the deconstruction of Infernet and the construction of the future convention center.” Enough to guarantee work for dockers who live mainly from cruises and cement workers. It remains to be seen how, in the long term, these different activities will be able to coexist. Including with the Corsica ferries.
Rather against on the Web
“What do you think of the construction of a convention center, Quai Infernet? This is the question posed by Nice morning to its readers on its website. An online consultation which does not have survey value but which nevertheless gives a trend. Even if it opposes the rather favorable opinions collected, no longer on the Web, but directly on the quays through a micro-sidewalk (journalistic technique for which consists in carrying out a random opinion poll in the street) .
Indeed, nearly half of Internet users who responded to this consultation (47.9%) believe that it is “a very bad idea”. If we add the 10.2% who, barely more weighted, believe that it is “a bad idea”, almost two out of three opinions expressed are opposed to the project. Against 41.9% of favorable or very favorable opinions. In the advanced motivations, Acropolis and its destruction often come up. Many of our 2.0 readers don’t understand that “we destroy on one side to rebuild 200 meters as the crow flies”equipment that already existed.
Some find the project “unrealistic”for lack of “sufficient space” Given the “time too short” imposed by the top of the oceans, or “finances”from the city. Others oppose environmental considerations and see it as a new “concreting“. Fearing even that the future convention center will end up”feet in the water because of global warming ” and the rising waters. Some point the finger at the “fragility of the dam”of the port to which this equipment will be leaned. Many are worried about the disappearance of the Infernet parking lot. Others fear that the height of the future building will “ruin the view”. Or fear that the neighborhood will lose its “tranquility“…
For 57.5% of the opinions posted, the future convention center will “distort the site”. They are even more likely (60.7%) to think that such equipment cannot “replace Acropolis”. Finally, less than one Internet user out of two (46.6%) believes that it can be delivered on time. That is to say before June 5, 2025, the date on which the One Ocean Summit will begin.
