The construction on a new Roland Garros stadium in west Paris has been halted again with the Parisian High Court “ordering a new suspension of construction,” according to Marie-Anne Gairaud of LE PARISIEN. The suspension stems from controversy surrounding the site’s proximity to the Auteuil Greenhouse gardens. Since ’15, the descendants of the garden’s architect have initiated proceedings with the High Court to “defend the intellectual property of their ancestor.” In the eyes of the Formigé family, even if the historic greenhouse is not destroyed, “the entire garden will be impacted by the construction of a 5,000-seat stadium.” The High Court originally suspended work in Dec. ’15, but last Monday the Conseil d’Etat “gave the greenlight to continue construction.” The French Tennis Federation (FFT) began construction on Tuesday but the Formigé family attorney on Thursday “filed a petition with the High Court that work be stopped.” The FFT responded with a statement saying, “The French Tennis Federation emits the strongest reservations about the validity of a decision that was made under dubious circumstances. We question the possible manipulation of facts on the part of the opposition” (LE PARISIEN, 10/6).
PARIS 2024 IMPLICATIONS: The AP reported the latest setback to the planned expansion “could have an impact on Paris’ bid for the 2024 Olympics.” French Sports Minister Patrick Kanner said, “There is still a long way to go before 2024, but it’s time to get out of this judicial muddle. This is a very beautiful project, and those who say we want to destroy the Serres d’Auteuil are wrong.” As part of the stadium revamp, the French federation is "planning to build a roof over center court" by '20. The delays could not only affect the clay-court Grand Slam, but also have "a negative impact on the 2024 Games bid." Bid officials "plan to use the venue for the Olympics and Paralympics," for tennis, basketball, rugby, and five-a-side football. A new media center "will also be constructed at the smallest venue of the four Grand Slams" (AP, 10/7).