A new stadium for Angers Sco : kick-off of the political season 2012-2013

Welcomed on August 21st at Angers town hall by the mayor of the city, the local soccer club Angers Sco gave (unin-tentionaly?) the kick-off of the political season 2102-2013. One of the issues mentionned during the meeting was the project of a new stadium which would substitute the Jean Bouin stadium located in Angers and built in 1912 and redeveloped in 1925. The president of the Maine-et-Loire General Council, Christophe Béchu, who could be the main opponent to the present mayor of Angers, Frédéric Beatse, was in favor of that project while that last rather stands back. 

The fact the issue of a new stadium was not mentionned in the report of the meeting on the official city website is a clear indication of that. Mr Béchu had spoken about a new stadium during the last municipal polls of 2008 and could be still in that mood arguing the place of the present stadium is a valuable building plot. But, if it is the case, that will not be sufficient to finance the project. Would not it be better to solve the difficulties of parking around the existing stadium first?

The Angers Sco evolves for years in the French second division of the national soccer tournament and aims to reach the first.A new stadium could be an asset but the cost of such an equipment must make the decision makers cautious. In Le Mans, a Western neighbouring city of Angers, a new stadium was opened in 2011 and cost more than 100 millions €. But, the Le Mans soccer club was that season relegated from the 1st to the 2nd division what reappraises the financial balance of the project. The advertising revenues will decrease while Le Mans city grant an allocation of around 800 000 € per year. Angers city does the same and had problems with the previous chairman of Angers Sco. The city is already involved in a delicate game for its finances in the years to come. Is appropriate for Angers city to play that game? (Credit Pictures Angers city and Wikipedia)