Toulouse: the Cité des rugbys project in Ernest-Wallon is relaunched
The president of the Occitanie Region is pushing for the creation of a Cité des rugbys next to Ernest-Wallon. A further meeting is scheduled for the next few days.
The Cité des rugbys project is resurfacing. Capital of the oval ball, Toulouse should soon host a large museum dedicated to this sport. A project strongly pushed by the Region ready to invest alongside the Metropolis and the Department. “The popular image of Occitania is rugby,” recalls Carole Delga, the President of the Region.
The future City must see the light of day next to Ernest-Wallon, the lair of Stade Toulousain. A project led by the flagship club of the Pink City. At the end of the day, a large museum which will make a large part of the red and black club but also of rugby in general, both at XV and XIII.
“Today there is no big museum around this sport” continues Carole Delga who fulfilled two conditions for the realization of this equipment. First the organization of an international architectural competition. The President of the Region wants “a strong architectural gesture”, visible from the Toulouse ring road and likely to attract a large audience well beyond lovers of ovality. The president imagines a building “in the shape of a rugby ball” with contemporary architecture “in the spirit of the Guggenheim in Bilbao or the city of wine in Bordeaux. »
The Region says it is ready to finance “significantly” this future City. Another condition: develop a museum that finds its financial balance. “The difficulty in this type of project is the operating budget,” points out Carole Delga.
Ephemeral presentation for the World Cup
The Cité des Rugbys does not stop at the museum alone. “We must take into account the projects of the Stade Toulousain on the improvement of the reception and the modernization of the north and south stands of Ernest-Wallon” indicates Kamel Chibli, vice-president in charge of sports in the Region. The Stadium is also working on the redevelopment of its training center which will be part of the project. The arrival of the 3rd metro line is another advantage of this dossier.
All communities now seem on the same wavelength as confirmed by Laurence Arribagé, the deputy mayor of Toulouse in charge of sports. “We want to support Stade Toulousain in this project which is very attractive but which will have to be financially balanced” warns the elected official.
This City should see the light of day by 2026-2027. “We want it to be visible next year for the World Cup,” says Laurence Arribagé. Perhaps through an ephemeral presentation. “On the museographic content, the communities already have some ideas. They want “visitors to want to come back”. Hence the idea of interactive and renewed presentations and exhibitions. The conclusions of the studies provided last year must be presented in the coming days. It will then be necessary to agree on a timetable and funding. Eventually, this Cité des rugbys can become the new tourist locomotive of the Pink City.
Méric: “Improve Ernest-Wallon”
The president of the Haute-Garonne departmental council, Georges Méric, supports the Cité des rugbys project: “The departmental council is a partner in the Cité des rugbys project, alongside the Occitanie Region, Toulouse Métropole and the Stade Toulousain. It contributed, to the tune of €292,000, to the first studies carried out for the creation of an emblematic place dedicated to all rugby and all aspects of this sport. The opening of a Cité des rugbys will contribute to the influence of the Haute-Garonne territory at national and international level, as well as to the development of leisure tourism around rugby”. For Georges Méric, however, it is “necessary to also undertake as soon as possible, within the framework of this vast project, the improvement of the infrastructure of the Stade Ernest Wallon to support the development of the Stade Toulousain and find the best prospects for the future. for this iconic club. »