[+] Old, New, Borrowed, Bleu: Venues of the 2024 Paris Games

The Games of the XXXIII Olympiad will begin on July 26 in one of the world’s great cities—Paris. This Games may prove a benchmark for how to stage such events in an age of greater understanding of the real cost of developing and building new venues for events with just new venues built. It is a lesson other Games cities, including Brisbane [see below], would do well to heed. The Paris committee has elected to use existing stadia, as well as other venues, and to create temporary venues in some of the City of Light’s most recognisable locations. As the Games countdown nears the three-month mark, here are nine of the Paris Games venues that exemplify the approach. Queensland moves on independent body: Scroll to bottom of this article for a Brisbane 2032 update. Something old... Grand Palais Sports: Fencing, Taekwondo Capacity: 8000 Status: Adaptive Use Location: Paris The Grand Palais des Champs-Élysées was built in 1900 for the Universal Exhibition in the heart of the city. Renowned worldwide for its magnificent nave and glass roof, it is listed as a historic monument by the French Ministry of Culture. It is now a museum, art gallery, exhibition and concert hall and, on occasion, a sports venue. The 2010 World Fencing Championships were held at the Palais, and it was used during the final stage of the Tour de France in 2017 as part of the promotion for Paris ’s 2024 Summer Olympics bid; the riders rode through the Palais en route to the Champs-Élysées. Château De Versailles Sports: Equestrian, Modern Pentathlon Capacity: 15,000 to 40,000 (depending on event) Status: Temporary Location: Versailles The Château de Versailles—known as the Palace of Versailles in English—was home to the court of King Louis XIV, and the centre of French royalty until the French Revolution. In 1883 the site became a national museum open to the public and was the first French site to be awarded UNESCO World Heritage status, in 1979. A temporary outdoor arena will be set up on the Etoile Royale to stage the dressage, eventing cross country and jumping competitions, as well as the modern pentathlon events (excluding the fencing ranking rounds). Something borrowed... Place De La Concorde Sports: BMX Freestyle, Skateboarding, Breaking [dance], 3X3 Basketball Capacity: 30,000 Status: Temporary Location: Paris Centre stage for the French Revolution, the place was also the entry point for the Paris Universal Exposition of 1900 and the 1925 International Exhibition of Modern Decorative and Industrial Arts. It has also been the scene of such national celebrations as victory celebrations at the end of the Great War, the Liberation of Paris in World War II, and the French men’s team winning the 1998 FIFA World Cup. For the Games, the place will be transformed into Parc Urbain La Concorde at the heart of Paris 2024 with the four spectacular sports, each with its own temporary courses and facilities. Champ De Mars Arena &amp; Eiffel Tower Stadium Sports: Beach Volleyball, Judo, Wrestling Capacity: 8356, 12860 Status: Temporary Location: Paris The Champ de Mars is between the Eiffel Tower to the northwest and the École Militaire to the south-east. The lawns were once used as drilling and marching grounds by the French military but have long been a popular picnicking and sunbathing site for locals and visitors to the City of Light. The Champ de Mars Arena, a 10,000sq m temporary building opposite the École Militaire, will stage the judo and wrestling competitions, while the beach volleyball athletes will compete in the open next to Paris’s famous tower. Esplanade Des Invalides Sport: Archery Capacity: 8000 Status: Temporary Location: Paris Slated for the Games’ archery competition, the temporary facility will rise on the Esplanade des Invalides, a huge open-lawn area to the north of the Hôtel des Invalides, a complex of buildings relating to the military history of France. The complex, built during the reign of Louis XIV in 1687, contains museums, monuments, a hospital and a retirement home for war veterans—the building ’ s original purpose (hence the English translation house of invalids). The tomb of Napoleon Bonaparte is in the Dôme des Invalides in the complex. Something new... Aquatic Centre Sports: Swimming, Diving Capacity: 6000 Status: New Build Location: Seine-Saint-Denis One of only two only permanent sports facility to be built for the Games, the centre has been designed to address the needs of Seine-Saint-Denis, 9.4km from the centre of Paris, and the French swimming community, which will gain a facility that can host the biggest national and international competitions. The Aquatics Centre will connect to the neighbouring Stade de France, one of the nation’s biggest stadiums and another Games venue, over a footbridge spanning a motorway. The centre’s modular configuration means it can switch from a 5000-seat venue during the Games to a 2500-seat facility to host neighbourhood events after. Le Bourget Sport Climbing Venue Sport: Sports Climbing Capacity: 6000 Status: New Build Location: Seine-Saint-Denis The other new venue for the Games features five climbing walls—an indoor wall for warming up and four outdoor walls (three for competition events and one for warm-ups). Close to the Aquatic Centre to the north of Paris, the venue at Le Bourget will remain for the community after Games while the stadium built to accommodate 6000 spectators will be removed. The temporary climbing walls will, like the temporary pools for the Games or the Parc Urbain La Concorde urban sports structures, likely be redeployed to sites that would benefit local associations, clubs and communities. Something bleu... Marseille Marina Sport: Sailing Capacity: 12,262 Status: Adaption Location: Marseille Located 755km south of the French capital on the Mediterranean coast, Marseille is the second most populous city in France. The Roucas-Blanc Marina on the sparkling blue waters of the Med will be adapted for staging the Games and is between two landmarks of Marseille, Basilique Notre-Dame de la Garde and Prado Beach. Plans include about 7000sq m of buildings and the reorganisation of 17,000sq m of outdoor spaces, as well as the redevelopment of the basin itself, transforming it into a competition venue. As well, the Olympic Torch will arrive here on its trip from Greece to Paris. Teahupo’o Sport: Surfing Capacity: 600 Status: Adaption, Temporary Location: Tahiti Scene of the Pro Tahiti world championship event for more than two decades, surfing will make its second Games appearance a long way from Paris—about 12,000km in fact. Despite the world-class waves available on the mainland, the Games event will be held in one of France’s territories in the Pacific and use existing facilities as well as modular accommodation that will be added to the Teahupo’o village for competitors and support crews. These will be relocated to villages in the island nation after the Games. Creating controversy for the event, however, are plans to build a tower on the reef near the break, with critics saying the tower will unnecessarily damage the environment. State moves on independent body In Queensland, a Bill to establish an independent statutory body to ensure the state is ready to host a successful Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games has been introduced to Parliament this week. The Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games Amendment Bill 2024 would mean the formation of the Games Venue and Legacy Delivery Authority to deliver venues that will be used during the Games and by the community for the decades that follow, and a legacy program, the Miles Government said. “The legislation ensures the authority’s board will be independent and have the skills and diversity required to ensure the authority performs its functions effectively and efficiently,” according to the state. “Establishing the authority as a statutory body under legislation will enable it to operate at arms-length from government. It will have control over its own funds, have operational independence, operate within a flexible structure and be subject to public sector accountability regimes. “The authority will also be immune from government election cycles and be charged to autonomously get on with the job.” As part of its role, the authority will be legislatively required to develop a Transport and Mobility Strategy within the first 18 months of its establishment, in consultation with Games Delivery Partners. The Bill will now be referred to a parliamentary committee that will report back in May. You are currently experiencing The Urban Developer Plus (TUD+), our premium membership for property professionals. Click here to learn more.

[+] Old, New, Borrowed, Bleu: Venues of the 2024 Paris Games

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