By Mike Rowbottom |
Anne Hidalgo, the Mayor of Paris, was today unanimously elected as President of the body charged with delivering the key building works for the 2024 Olympics and Paralympics in the French capital as a first meeting was held at the Ville de Paris.
Hidalgo presided over the official establishment of the Olympic and Paralympic Equipment Delivery Corporation (SOLIDEO), which is responsible for managing financing for construction of key Games elements such as the Aquatics Center and the Athletes’ and Media Villages.
SOLIDEO will supervise 39 infrastructure projects in all with the goal of delivering them all by the autumn of 2023.
Also voted in by the 38 members of the Board of Directors were four vice-presidents.
These are Laurent Girometti, a state representative, Valérie Pécresse, a representative of the Ile-de-France region, Stéphane Troussel, a representative of the Seine-Saint-Denis department, and Patrick Ollier, a representative of the Metropolis of Greater Paris.
Hidalgo stressed the need to maintain a collective effort for the legacy of the Games and for planned budgets to be strictly respected.
“I am honored to lead this exciting challenge for which I set three collective requirements,” said Hidalgo.
“That of delivering ambitious Games in the service of the inhabitants of our territories and future generations; to prepare exemplary and innovative Games that will accelerate the ecological transition; to bring a new economic model by scrupulously ensuring compliance with our financial commitments.
“And it is by working as a team that we will succeed in achieving these objectives.”
SOLIDEO’s managing director, Nicolas Ferrand, said: “SOLIDEO is a tool for the Paris 2024 project, which is eminently a partnership project.
“We must deliver in time the necessary work for the Games, leaving a tangible legacy for the territories of Greater Paris and Marseille and their inhabitants.
“The Games are an opportunity to show the world our know-how.
“It is the image of France that is at stake.”
Today’s first meeting established rules of procedure, financial regulations and the recruitment and employment conditions for the organization.
Members also made the first operational decisions for necessary works involved in the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
The agreement of preliminary studies, the general scheme of supervision of the works and the work schedule for the next 12 months were finalized.
The launch of the consultation for the Media Village and the Olympic and Paralympic Village was also agreed.
Jean Castex, an interdepartmental delegate for the Olympic and Paralympic Games, added: “With the installation of SOLIDEO, we are completing the first part of our work, building strong governance capable of organizing the Games.
“In the coming weeks, all the stakeholders – the City of Paris, local authorities, SOLIDEO, the Organizing Committee and the state – will sit down to discuss the conclusions and recommendations of the report of the general inspections which will be published shortly and make the necessary adjustments.”
Republished with permission from insidethegames.biz.