Stade Malherbe Caen: why did the Ornano stadium cost so little?

Ornano stadium.
The Ornano stadium in Caen. ©Freedom

June 6, 2023 the Ornano stadium in Caen (Calvados) will celebrate its 30th anniversary. Since its inauguration in 1993, the football club, Stade Malherbe, has used the enclosure, the construction of which began in March 1991.

The equivalent of €35 million

On delivery, the overall cost of equipping 22,000 seats is 150 million francs. Reduced to 2023 taking into account inflation, this sum corresponds to approximately 35 million euros (with adjustments). The construction of the stadium alone amounts to 23 million euros today. According to the same calculations, the Zénith de Caen (6,990 seats) which also dates from 1993 had a bill of 79 million francs, or today, around 18 million euros.

Closer to home, the Caen nautical stadium opened in 2017 has an overall cost of just under 30 million euros.

The sports hall more expensive than the stadium

Fourth and final comparison, the new sports hall in Caen (4,200 seats) which will open this year has an overall cost of 40 million euros, 35 million for the hall itself. Clearly, the sports hall cost more than the football stadium!

“More complex and more sophisticated”

Architect who designed the stadium in the early 1990s, Matthieu Lucet tempers the raw numbers. “Everything is more expensive today of course, the materials, etc. But”, he continues: “to build a stadium today is much more complex, because it is more sophisticated. »

For the man who also designed the Sochaux and Rennes stadiums, “the Caen stadium is not complicated, it’s concrete, with a canopy roof. »

Looking good is much more expensive

Last but not least, the architectural imprint that communities want to leave when building these spectacular facilities.

Videos: currently on Actu

Today, a stadium is an object with a magnificent structure, but which costs a fortune.

Matthieu Lucet, architect of the Ornano stadium

“The Ornano stadium, for the construction alone, is 100 million francs (23 million € today)” continues Matthieu Lucet. “The Nice stadium (his firm had won the architectural competition) is 200 million… euros for the construction alone! »

In Caen, the decision-makers had opted at the end of the 1980s for an efficient, no-frills production.

Matthieu Lucet summarizes: “At the time, we wanted a reasonable image, of a reasonable city, of a reasonable mayor. After all, the show is on the field.

In February, 2nd episode of our series devoted to the 30th anniversary of the stadium with Matthieu Lucet, architect of the enclosure.

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Stade Malherbe Caen: why did the Ornano stadium cost so little?