Best of Nice

In a shocking upset, Nice just won Olympic Gold!

In a surprise announcement by the IOC, the Nice/French Alps candidature to host the Winter Olympics in 2030 not only made the cut (whew!) …but was the only bid to make the cut, acing out both Sweden and Switzerland, meaning that in just 7 years the Alpes-Cote d’Azur will be the host of the Winter Olympics.

Nice will host all skating events (Figure Skating, Speed Skating, Ice Hockey, and Curling), hold the Closing Ceremony, manage the main Athletes’ Village,  International Broadcast Center and Main Press Center, plus hold the Cross Country Skiing and Snowboard competitions at Isola 2000, just 90-minutes outside of Nice.

The other Alpine Skiing events, Jumping, and Bob/Luge/Skeleton competitions and Opening Ceremonies will be held higher in the Alps, at Corchevel and Val d’Isere among others.

Nice’s winning plan focused on using mostly existing structures: Stade Allianz Riviera for the Closing Ceremony,  the currently in-renovation Palais des Expositions for Figure Skating, Curling will happen at the Palais Nikaia, and the Media and Press centers will run out of the new convention center currently being constructed in the Port.  Only two new venues will need to be built from scratch, but these structures for Ice Hockey will be modulable for future use for multiple sports disciplines, and will be mostly paid for by the IOC.  And the new Athletes’ Village will then pivot into much needed university housing.

Nice is no stranger to international sporting events, having just hosted some Rugby World Cup matches this last summer, and the Promenade des Anglais will be the finish line of the Tour de France next July while Paris is tied up with their Summer Olympic preparations, which Nice will also be able to learn from.

Nice Mayor Christian Estrosi has just pulled off an epic win of Olympic proportions!

Photo credits: Best of Nice from Turin Olympics 2006, Vancouver Olympics 2010, and Sochi Olympics 2006