Roland-Garros is one of the
four most prestigious tournaments in the Grand Chelem international tennis circuit.
It economically drives the French tennis industry and is totally beneficial for
the economy of Paris. Since 2011, the French tennis federation (FFT) has chosen
to remain in Roland-Garros stadium. With the support of Paris City Hall, their
project revolves around three main ideas : modernization, enlargement and a
better integration in its environment.
But, the descendants of Jean-Camille
Formigé and the architects have gone to court over the project. Formigé was the
creator of the "Jardins des Serres-d'Auteuil”. The project for the new Roland-Garros
is to destroy the historic greenhouses and make the gardens part of to the
current stadium. The descendants say this project is an “infringement of the
moral rights of their ancestor”. They wanted to put a stop to this project “in
the name of copyright”. One of them told the JDD newspaper that he considered
that this project threatened the stadium in its integrity. According to him,
the stadium would become architecturally denatured.
The Secretary General of the
FFT says: "We are not destroying anything, we are replacing”. In
response to the Formigé family and its environmental concerns, the Secretary
General announced that trees are going to be planted and will be more numerous
than before.
Despite these setbacks, the
project is going ahead because the architecture will fit harmoniously within
the gardens. The creation of new spaces is also going to attract different visitors.
From a broader perspective, by choosing to improve the existing site, the
French Tennis Federation is proving that it is up to the task of combining the
sporting, financial, social and cultural interests at stake in the 21st century.
Indeed, the tournament generates €289 million. Moreover, the preservation of
the legacy of plant life is an encouraging priority. So the project seems
essential for the future of the image of Paris and France on the world sports
and economic scene.
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Maëlle Rivalier wants to
work in the world of sports.
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