February 1997 – N°22 – Cities – ENGLISH
| An interview wiht Georges FRECHE, mayor of Montpellier :
“A long history of hospitality” |
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How are preparations coming along just 500 days from the World Cup kick-off?
Improvement work on the stade de la Mosson near to la Paillade is going smoothly. When finished, the stadium’s capacity will jump to 35,500, all seated, bringing it into line with requirements for all World Cup venues.
Due for completion spring 1997, the stadium will be ready to stage the keenly anticipated France vs England friendly in the Tournoi de France.
Aside from the stade de la Mosson, what other World Cup preparations are underway in Montpellier?
Improvements to the city’s infrastructure and urban development projects proceed, whilst the enviable quality of life enjoyed by Montpellier dwellers continues unchanged. Work advances at Port Marianne, which ultimately will link East Montpellier to the sea. Last year, we opened a new Olympic size swimming pool in the city centre at Antigone; in a few weeks time, the Centre National Chorégraphique (a national choreographic centre), is to be installed at the new improved Couvent des Ursulines, under the direction of Mathilde Monnier. Work has also begun on an extensive regional library, scheduled to open its doors to the public in the year 2000.
All these improvements to the city’s infrastructure have made Montpellier an attractive city, which offers an interesting and amenable lifestyle.
As far as the World Cup goes, the area surrounding stade de la Mosson is being overhauled in order to facilitate access to and exits from the stadium, as well as car-parking amenities.
Better signposting for the stadium has also been set up at all entrances to the city, as well as on the major arteries from Paris and Barcelona.
Montpellier will be playing host to visitors from all around the world, what sort of welcome can they expect?
Montpellier has a long tradition of offering hospitality to visitors. Everybody working in the tourist sector in our region is determined to provide the best possible welcome to supporters and visitors alike, and to offer the opportunity to discover the culinary, architectural and cultural delights that Montpellier and Languedoc Roussillon have in abundance. We are planning an impressive series of cultural exhibitions, and, as our publicity campaign indicates, we also intend to ensure that the after-match festivities go with a bang!
What economic spin-offs are you expecting from the World Cup?
The World Cup will clearly provide very positive publicity for Montpellier as well as economic benefits. From an economic point of view, the work being carried out at the stade de la Mosson over a two year period costing 130 million francs, including 94 million for the building work, will offer employment to 110 different companies: 88 of which are from the Montpellier or Languedoc-Roussillon region. 800 direct jobs will be maintained or created for two years, giving rise to some 800 further jobs for the same period of time.
We are expecting more than 200,000 spectators at the stade de la Mosson in June 1998. According to a national study, France 98 should bring in close to 500 million francs in terms of tourism and economic spin-offs to our region.
Football is a universal game and the World Cup the most widely covered media event on earth. Television channels from almost every country cover the event, and we are proud to belong to the select club of host cities, whose name will be on peoples lips the world over. I’m sure that many TV viewers who watch the matches at Montpellier, will one day come to visit us here.
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The publicity campaign for Montpellier received the special prize from the jury at the Grand prix Cap-Com (a local forum on public communication).