Demolish hall 1 of the exhibition center, maybe yes, maybe no

The first public meeting devoted to the future of Hall 1 was held this Monday, May 5. After a visit to the premises, two hours of debate hardly made it possible to see more clearly on the possible demolition of this iconic building.

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Walid Salem

Published on May 7 2025 ·

Printed on May 7, 2025 at 07:05 am ·

4 minutes

The first stage of the consultation on the future of the hall 1 was eagerly awaited by the defenders of the building, by architecture professionals, and by the inhabitants of the neighborhood. The first to promote his rehabilitation, the second concerned with the architectural gesture, the last worried by the future neighborhood after a recent battle on the nuisances of the music festivals that stand on the esplanade.

“The economic question with 500,000 visitors each year and more than 3,200 direct or indirect jobs” is in the background. The Parc des Expos welcomes 80 events per year, generating “20 million euros in turnover and 150 million economic benefits on the territory,” says Stéphane Kintzig, Director General of Beam, manager of the exhibition center.

The introductory speeches insist on the “aspect of rebirth and neighborhood life, with access to lakes and green spaces”, for Stéphane Delpeyrat-Vincent, vice-president of the metropolis in charge of the economy. “A very important issue for the city of Bordeaux” for Vincent Maurin, who evokes the “reconquest of the bank in front of the Parc des Expos” and “a facilitated public access”, not to mention “the preservation of the built heritage”. Politically, it is a question of sparing the goat and the cabbage!