Geneva: Trèfle-Blanc: the State Council ready to invest 275.5 million

Most of the Trèfle-Blanc ice rink project is known. As well as its price. The global complex will cost 275.5 million francs. On Wednesday, the Council of State adopted and detailed the bill giving the right to an investment credit for this amount. This includes: the construction of two skating rinks (one of 8,500 places and a secondary skating rink) for a total of 232 million, as well as the external arrangements. This sum is added to the 17 million of study credits. Hence an overall cost of 292.5 million. As a comparison, the Council of State recalled that the Vaudoise Aréna, in Lausanne, cost 223 million.

A relay parking lot with 928 car spaces and 244 motorcycle spaces will be created. Its cost, nearly 99 million, is the responsibility of the parking lot. The sports infrastructure will also be served by public transport.

The President of the Council of State, Thierry Apothoz, was delighted with the realization of this project “expected by all”. He stressed the interest in the canton to benefit from this “asset for tourism and attractiveness”. Especially since the infrastructure could be used for “national and international popular sporting events”.

The state will remain owner. Management will be entrusted to a public public limited company (Canton + City of Lancy) and the operation will fall to tenants, including the Geneva Servette Hockey Club (GSHC) club. On the calendar side, the bill will be submitted to the Grand Council during a session in September or October. Commissioning is scheduled for the 2030-2031 season. The fact remains that there is a safe bet that a referendum comes to slow down the enthusiasm of the Geneva executive and delay the project.