will the new stadium project be completely abandoned?

At a press conference on Tuesday, September 22, the new president of the Niort football club, Guy Cotret, declared that the project for a new stadium was no longer a priority. “This project is not a priority, we have to wonder if it is the right answer”. The new infrastructure was to emerge from the ground within two years. So the reactions of elected officials are numerous, and we expect this Thursday, September 24, a press release from the mayor of Niort, Jérôme Baloge.

Local elected officials react

For the Niortaise Nathalie Lanzi, vice-president of Nouvelle-Aquitaine, in charge of sports and also candidate for the senatorial elections in Deux-Sèvres, it is an unexpected turnaround, perhaps dictated by the health context. “Since 2017, we have been promised a new stadium, we are represented at each term, she emphasizes. I thought it was a priority to stay in division two “.

“I’m not too surprised to be honest, even during the campaign there wasn’t too much transparency”, believes François Gibert is one of the leaders of the opposition to the city and the agglomeration of Niort.

Work planned for René Gaillard

For now, the future is at the René Gaillard stadium, it is also a question of completely redoing the lighting. This exit of the new leaders surprises, challenges, because the project of the new stadium was very advanced. It was validated by the league and the city of Niort last December. Plans for the 8,500-seat enclosure were to be unveiled by the end of the year. The works were supposed to start next year for a budget of 12 million euros. For the agglomeration of Niort, it is astonishment. The new stadium was at the heart of the future large sports complex of the Green Venice including the ice rink, the gymnasium and the athletics track.

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