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Patinoire de Mériadeck

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Coordinates: 44°50′12″N 0°35′10″W / 44.8368°N 0.5860°W / 44.8368; -0.5860
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Patinoire de Mériadeck
Map
Address95 Cours du Maréchal Juin
LocationBordeaux
Public transitTram interchange Hôtel de police
OperatorGroupe Récréa
(via SBSL Axel Vega)
Executive suites7 salons[5]
Capacity3,312 (all-seater, ice hockey)
Field size60 × 30 metre
Surface12,560 m2 (135,200 sq ft)[4]
Construction
Broke groundNovember 1979
Built1979–1981
OpenedDecember 18, 1981 (public opening)[1]
January 7, 1982 (inauguration ceremony)[2][3]
Expanded2004
Construction costFRF 72–77 millions
ArchitectClaude Henri Aubert (1981 original)
Bertrand Nivelle (2004 extension)
Tenants
Boxers de Bordeaux (Ligue Magnus)
(1998–present)

Patinoire Axel Vega, commonly known as Patinoire de Mériadeck (English: Mériadeck Ice Rink) after the eponymous Mériadeck quarter, is a multi-purpose arena located in Bordeaux, Gironde, France. Today primarily used as an ice rink, it is the home of professional ice hockey team Boxers de Bordeaux. Between 1981 and 2017, it doubled as the agglomeration's main concert venue, and hosted many artists of national and international stature.

History[edit]

Design and building[edit]

The building replaced a smaller, community-style rink called Le Skating and located on Place des Quinconces. It was part of a large urban renewal project for the eponymous Mériadeck business district. Its design was authored by architect Claude-Henri Aubert, who was also in charge of urban planning for the entire Aquitaine Coast region, and was unveiled to the general public in October 1979.[6] Culminating at 27 meter above ground, it is an amalgamation of truncated pyramidal volumes, covered by a roof made of a copper tiles. The building's steel armature alone weighs 500 tons.[7] Its style foreshadows that of the Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy, built two years later, and it has been referred to as a "little Bercy".[6]

Construction began in November 1979 through a consortium of some thirty, mostly local companies. The building was delivered on October 28, 1981.[2] It officially opened to the public on December 18, 1981.[1] The cost was evaluated between FF 72 million[2] and FF 77 million.[4] It was originally planned to be connected to a neighboring library by a shopping arcade, but the library was delayed until 1991 and the shopping arcade was abandoned during that time.[4]

The building has received a number of refurbishments over the year, but the most significant was a 2004 extension and remodel overseen by local architect Bertrand Nivelle, at a cost of €5.3 million.[8] The entrance hall was enlarged and outfitted with additional staircases, while skylights were added to the original roof above it. On the opposite side, an extension—which was given a copper look like the roof—was built, which featured a catering area and new backstage space for the artists.[2][9][10] During the refresh, the resident clubs moved to a bare-bones temporary rink located in the northern Lake District, near the Stadium Vélodrome and the location of the future Nouveau Stade de Bordeaux.[8]

Management[edit]

The building's management contract originally went to France Patinoire, a company chaired by Thierry Lacarrière, son of IIHF Hall of Famer Jacques Lacarrière,[2][11] and later to a successor entity called Bordeaux Gestion Equipement, also headed by Lacarrière.[12] BGE's accounting was called into question, and in 1997, management rights to the rink and other buildings were transferred to a new outfit called Société Bordelaise de Sports et Loisirs (SBSL), which took the commercial name Axel Vega due to being a subsidiary of nationwide operator Vega.[13][14] Vega was absorbed by FIMALAC in 2010 and later phased out, but the legacy branding "Axel Vega" has been retained for the Bordeaux facilities.[15]

Ice rink[edit]

The building features a single Olympic-size ice pad, and feature four locker rooms.[16] In addition to the Boxers professional hockey team, the building also houses Bordeaux Sports de Glace 33, which oversee ice dancing and ballet on ice activities.[17] In 1996, the rink hosted Group K of the IIHF European Cup, as the nominal hosts, French champions Albatros de Brest, moved the round robin tournament there due to their small rink not meeting continental competition standards.[18]

During the summer of 2013, the ice pad underwent a complete replacement.[19] In 2017, the arena's concert activities—which often conflicted with the Boxers' schedule—were transferred to a new, suburban arena (see § Stage configuration).[20] With the emphasis now placed on sports, three halls were redesigned and added to the arena's corporate hospitality offerings,[21]: 29:50 [22] filling a need of the Boxers who had maxed out Meriadeck's club seating several years prior while still in the second tier.[23] A suspended video cube with a mounted camera was also installed.[21]: 30:10 [24] During the 2022–23 season, the city of Bordeaux re-allocated the bar concessions to the Boxers, providing the team with an additional revenue stream.[25]

Stage configuration[edit]

Patinoire Mériadeck was the only French ice rink to function as a multi-propose arena for an extended length of time, as mixed-use sports and entertainment facilities are not the norm in the country, particularly when ice is a factor.[26] The modular stage had a surface of 400 m2 (4,300 sq ft).[4] The ice pad was covered by an insulated carpet, helping to keep the temperature at 9°C about 20 centimeters above the ice. In stage configuration, maximum capacity was 7,212 for standing room shows, and around 5,200 when the floor was used for seating. An additional stand could be deployed across one end of the playing surface.[27]

During the 2004 renovation, the backstage area was beefed up with new storage rooms and extra dressing rooms for the artists, as they often had to resort to using the rink's locker rooms.[28] The main floor had a production office and one dressing room, while the expanded first floor received another six.[16] The main hall was equipped with a new retractable stage,[2] and the ceiling was overhauled improve its acoustics, which had been a persistence source of criticism.[29][30][31] In 2017, with the opening of the Arena in suburban Floirac, the ice rink suspended its concert activities.[32] The last concert was a showing of the popular musical Notre-Dame de Paris.[6] However, it will continue to be rented out for corporate events, which typically require lighter logistics and are not expected to interfere with the life of residents clubs as much as concerts.[21]: 31:20 

Notable events[edit]

Sports competitions[edit]

Politics[edit]

  • Congrès de la Mutualité (1982)[33]

Featured entertainers[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b Cardoze, Michel (January 9, 2018). "Les premiers jours de la patinoire de Bordeaux en 1982". francebleu.fr. Radio France. Retrieved May 29, 2023.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Michel, Marjorie. "Le saviez-vous ? Ce dimanche, la patinoire de Mériadeck à Bordeaux souffle ses 42 bougies". Sud Ouest (in French). Bordeaux. Retrieved April 19, 2024.
  3. ^ Pech, Olivier (March 23, 2021). "Bordeaux : en 1982, la patinoire de Mériadeck accueille les meilleurs patineurs artistiques du monde". Sud Ouest (in French). Bordeaux. Retrieved April 19, 2024.
  4. ^ a b c d "39 La Patinoire". sauvegarder-meriadeck.fr (in French). February 8, 2011. Retrieved April 2, 2023.
  5. ^ Laplume, Nicolas (February 1, 2024). "'On sent un véritable engouement' : les Boxers de Bordeaux remplissent la patinoire de Mériadeck". Sud Ouest (in French). Retrieved May 29, 2023.
  6. ^ a b c Bosdechers, Laure (January 7, 2012). "Patinoire Mériadeck de Bordeaux : 30 ans de glace et de strass". Sud Ouest (in French). Bordeaux. Retrieved April 19, 2024.
  7. ^ Lafitte, J. (1982). "La patinoire de Bordeaux". Profil. No. 48.
  8. ^ a b "Accueil glacial pour la nouvelle patinoire". 20 Minutes (in French). November 16, 2004. Retrieved May 29, 2023.
  9. ^ "Patinoire de Bordeaux Mériadeck". bertrandnivelle.com (in French). Retrieved April 2, 2023.
  10. ^ Cisnal, M. (2011). "La Patinoire". Désillusion d'une utopie : histoire et état des lieux du quartier Méradeck à Bordeaux (in French). Retrieved May 29, 2023.
  11. ^ Cardoze, Michel (January 9, 2018). "Les premiers jours de la patinoire de Bordeaux en 1982". francebleu.fr. Radio France. Retrieved May 29, 2023.
  12. ^ Thoraval, Armelle (November 28, 1997). "Bordeaux: la gestion Chaban mise en charpie". Libération (in French). Retrieved May 29, 2023.
  13. ^ Da Rold, Jacques (2010). Sociétés d'économie mixte locales et Partenariats Public Privé (France–Europe) (Report). Pessac: UMR ADES. p. 33. Retrieved May 2, 2024.
  14. ^ Vega – La gestion partenaire (Report). Paris: Vega. 2011. Retrieved May 2, 2024.
  15. ^ "Fimalac / Vega". epsilon-research.com (in French). November 5, 2010. Retrieved April 2, 2023.
  16. ^ a b Fiche technique patinoire Mériadeck (technical document), Bordeaux: Axel Vega, February 2009
  17. ^ "Bordeaux Sports de Glace – Danse sur glace et patinage synchronisé". bsg33.org. Retrieved June 2, 2014.
  18. ^ "Hockey. Le kop brestois dans le sillage des Albatros". Le Télégramme (in French). Brest. September 24, 2023. Retrieved April 19, 2024.
  19. ^ Rousset, Julien (April 26, 2013). "Quatre mois sans patinoire à Bordeaux". Sud Ouest (in French). Bordeaux. Retrieved April 19, 2024.
  20. ^ Leshauriès, Yoan (October 31, 2015). "L'éternel problème des Boxers de Bordeaux". Sud Ouest (in French). Bordeaux. Retrieved April 19, 2024.
  21. ^ a b c Boucher, Franck (guest) (January 24, 2018). Les grands moments de la patinoire Mériadeck à Bordeaux et son avenir (radio talk show). Place des grands hommes. Bordeaux: France Bleu Gironde. Retrieved March 27, 2024.
  22. ^ "Equipements de sports et de loisirs. Rapport annuel de l'exercice clos le 31 décembre 2018". Extrait du registre des délibérations du conseil municipal (PDF) (Report). City of Bordeaux. November 20, 2019. p. 15. D-2019/505. Retrieved May 2, 2024.
  23. ^ O.S.F. (April 18, 2014). "Hockey : Les Boxers ont 'la volonté d'être champions'". bordeaux7.com (in French). Retrieved April 2, 2023.
  24. ^ Deville, Laure (December 17, 2017). "Bordeaux : du nouveau pour l'avenir de la patinoire Mériadeck". witfm.fr. Retrieved May 29, 2023.
  25. ^ "Thierry Parienty et le modèle économique des Boxers". hockey-boxers-de-bordeaux.fr (in French). August 2, 2023. Retrieved May 29, 2023.
  26. ^ Boucher, Franck (guest) (2017). "Quartier Mériadeck - la patinoire". En'vie de quartier (in French). TV7 Bordeaux. Retrieved 9 September 2022.
  27. ^ Bordeaux Congress & Meeting Guide 2017 (brochure), Bordeaux Convention Bureau, 2017, p. 44
  28. ^ Martin-Herrou, Adélaïde (2009). Aménagement d’un Zénith sur des anciens frets SNCF à Bordeaux Bastide (PDF) (Engineering, 1st year). Tours: Centre d'Études Supérieures en Aménagement. pp. 22–23.
  29. ^ "Principales références" (PDF) (Press release). Bordeaux: Bertrand Nivelle Architecte DPLG. 2013. Retrieved April 2, 2023.
  30. ^ Coignac, Thomas (December 22, 2017). "Bordeaux - derniers concerts à la patinoire Meriadeck : 'des souvenirs pour trois ou quatre générations'". francebleu.fr. Radio France. Retrieved May 29, 2023.
  31. ^ Barthélémy, Simon (April 12, 2016). "Bordeaux Métropole Arena, première pierre avant les Stones ?". rue89bordeaux.com (in French). Retrieved May 29, 2023.
  32. ^ Dubourg, Stella (November 10, 2017). "Bordeaux : bientôt la fin des concerts à la patinoire". Sud Ouest (in French). Bordeaux. Retrieved April 19, 2024.
  33. ^ Ras, George (May 5, 1982). "Bordeaux : les engagements de Mitterrand au Congrès de la Mutualité en 1982". Sud Ouest (in French). Bordeaux. Retrieved April 19, 2024.
  34. ^ "En images : 30 ans de concerts à la patinoire Mériadeck à Bordeaux". Sud Ouest (in French). Bordeaux. 2012. Retrieved April 19, 2024.
  35. ^ "Patinoire Meriadeck Concert History". concertarchives.org. Retrieved May 29, 2023.

External[edit]

44°50′12″N 0°35′10″W / 44.8368°N 0.5860°W / 44.8368; -0.5860

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