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{{Short description|Sports complex in Bordeaux, France}}
[[File:Patinoire de Mériadeck.jpg|thumb|Patinoire de Mériadeck]]
{{Infobox venue
The '''Patinoire de Mériadeck''' is a sports complex located in [[Bordeaux]], [[France]], which is mainly used for [[ice hockey]]. It opened in 1981 and also operates as a concert venue throughout the year. The rink can seat 3,200 for hockey and 4,800 for concerts.<ref>http://www.bsg33.org/</ref>
| stadium_name = Patinoire de Mériadeck
| native_name =
| native_name_lang = French
| nickname =
| logo_image =
| logo_size =
| image = File:Patinoire_de_Mériadeck_logo.png
| image_size = 180px
| fullname = Patinoire Axel Vega
| address = 95 Cours du Maréchal Juin
| location = Bordeaux
| publictransit = {{rint|tram}} [[File:Logo Tramway Bordeaux ligne A.svg|12px]] [[Bordeaux tramway#Line A|Hôtel de police]]
| broke_ground = November 1979
| built = 1979–1981
| opened = December 18, 1981 {{small|(public opening)}}<ref name="bleu-8jan18"/><br> January 7, 1982 {{small|(inauguration ceremony)}}<ref name="so-23dec17"/><ref name="so-23mar21">{{cite web | url =https://www.sudouest.fr/archives/bordeaux-en-1982-la-patinoire-de-meriadeck-accueille-les-meilleurs-patineurs-artistiques-du-monde-1788122.php | title =Bordeaux : en 1982, la patinoire de Mériadeck accueille les meilleurs patineurs artistiques du monde | last1 =Pech | first1 =Olivier | date =March 23, 2021 | work =[[Sud Ouest (newspaper)|Sud Ouest]] | location=Bordeaux | language =fr |access-date =April 19, 2024 |url-access=subscription}}</ref>
| renovated =
| expanded = 2004
| operator = Groupe Récréa<br />(via SBSL Axel Vega)
| surface = {{convert|abbr=on|12,560|m2|sqft}}<ref name="sauv-mer"/>
| construction_cost = [[French franc|FF]] 72–77 millions
| architect = Claude Henri Aubert {{small|(1981 original)}}<br/>Bertrand Nivelle {{small|(2004 extension)}}
| tenants = [[Boxers de Bordeaux]] ([[Ligue Magnus]])<br>(1998–present)
| suites = 7 salons<ref>{{cite web | url =https://www.sudouest.fr/sport/hockey-sur-glace/boxers-bordeaux/on-sent-un-veritable-engouement-les-boxers-de-bordeaux-remplissent-la-patinoire-de-meriadeck-18345984.php | title ='On sent un véritable engouement' : les Boxers de Bordeaux remplissent la patinoire de Mériadeck | last1 =Laplume | first1 =Nicolas | date =February 1, 2024 | work =Sud Ouest | language =fr | access-date =May 29, 2023 |url-access=subscription}}</ref>
| seating_capacity = 3,312 {{small|(all-seater, ice hockey)}}
| dimensions = 60 × 30 metre
| scoreboard =
}}

'''Patinoire Axel Vega''',<ref>{{cite web | url =https://recrea.fr/nos-equipements/axel-vega-patinoire/ | title =Axel Vega Patinoire | author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> | website =recrea.fr | language =fr | access-date =June 21, 2024}}</ref> commonly known as '''Patinoire de Mériadeck''' ([[English language|English]]: Mériadeck Ice Rink) after the eponymous Mériadeck quarter, is a [[multi-purpose arena]] located in [[Bordeaux]], [[Gironde]], [[France]]. Today primarily used as an [[ice rink]], it is the home of professional [[ice hockey]] team [[Boxers de Bordeaux]]. Between 1981 and 2017, it doubled as the agglomeration's main concert venue, and hosted many artists of national and international stature.

==History==
===Design and building===
Patinoire de Mériadeck replaced a smaller, community-style rink called Le Skating and located on [[Place des Quinconces]]. It was part of a large urban renewal project for the eponymous Mériadeck business district. Its design was authored by architect Claude-Henri Aubert, who was also in charge of urban planning for the entire [[Aquitaine|Aquitaine Coast]] region, and was unveiled to the general public in October 1979.<ref name="so-7jan12">{{cite web | url =https://www.sudouest.fr/gironde/bordeaux/patinoire-meriadeck-de-bordeaux-30-ans-de-glace-et-de-strass-9052962.php | title =Patinoire Mériadeck de Bordeaux : 30 ans de glace et de strass | last1 =Bosdechers | first1 =Laure | date =January 7, 2012 | work =Sud Ouest | location=Bordeaux | language =fr |access-date =April 19, 2024 |url-access=subscription}}</ref> Culminating at 27 meter above ground, it is an amalgamation of truncated pyramidal volumes, covered by a roof made of a [[copper]] tiles. The building's steel armature alone weighs 500 tons.<ref>{{cite magazine |last1=Lafitte |first1=J. |date=1982 |title=La patinoire de Bordeaux |url=https://iifiir.org/fr/fridoc/la-patinoire-de-bordeaux-72770 |magazine=Profil |location= |publisher= |issue=48 |pages= }}</ref> Its style foreshadows that of the [[Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy]], built two years later, and it has been referred to as a "little Bercy".<ref name="so-7jan12"/>

Construction began in November 1979 through a consortium of some thirty, mostly local companies. The building was delivered on October 28, 1981.<ref name="so-23dec17">{{cite web | url =https://www.sudouest.fr/premium/dans-vos-departements/en-1982-la-patinoire-de-meriadeck-etait-inauguree-a-bordeaux-3213851.php | title =Le saviez-vous ? Ce dimanche, la patinoire de Mériadeck à Bordeaux souffle ses 42 bougies | last1 =Michel | first1 =Marjorie | date = | work =Sud Ouest | location=Bordeaux | language =fr |access-date =April 19, 2024 |url-access=subscription}}</ref> It officially opened to the public on December 18, 1981.<ref name="bleu-8jan18">{{cite web | url =https://www.radiofrance.fr/francebleu/podcasts/l-histoire-du-jour-de-michel-cardoze/les-premiers-jours-de-la-patinoire-de-bordeaux-en-1982-5380864 | title =Les premiers jours de la patinoire de Bordeaux en 1982. | last1 =Cardoze | first1 =Michel | date =January 9, 2018 | work =[[France Bleu|francebleu.fr]] | publisher=[[Radio France]] | access-date =May 29, 2023}}</ref> Its cost was evaluated between [[French franc|FF]] 72 million<ref name="so-23dec17"/> and FF 77 million.<ref name="sauv-mer">{{cite web | url =https://www.sauvegarder-meriadeck.fr/39-la-patinoire/ | title =39 La Patinoire | author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> | date =February 8, 2011 | website =sauvegarder-meriadeck.fr | language =fr | access-date =April 2, 2023}}</ref> It was originally planned to be connected to a neighboring library by a shopping arcade, but the library was delayed until 1991 and the shopping arcade was abandoned during that time.<ref name="sauv-mer"/>

The rink has received a number of refurbishments over the years, but the most significant was a 2004 extension and remodel overseen by local architect Bertrand Nivelle, at a cost of €5.3 million.<ref name="20min-16nov04">{{cite web | url =https://www.20minutes.fr/sport/39389-20041116-sport-accueil-glacial-pour-la-nouvelle-patinoire | title =Accueil glacial pour la nouvelle patinoire | author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> | date =November 16, 2004 | work =[[20 minutes (France)|20 Minutes]] | language =fr | access-date =May 29, 2023}}</ref> The entrance hall was enlarged and outfitted with additional staircases, while skylights were added to the original roof above it. On the opposite side, an extension—which was given a copper look like the roof—was built, which featured a catering area and new backstage space for the artists.<ref name="so-23dec17"/><ref>{{cite web | url =http://bertrandnivelle.com/patinoire-de-bordeaux-meriadeck/ | title =Patinoire de Bordeaux Mériadeck | author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.-->| website =bertrandnivelle.com | language =fr | access-date =April 2, 2023}}</ref><ref name="mer-etat">{{cite web | url =http://meriadeck.free.fr/Meriadeck/Patinoire.html | title =La Patinoire | last1 =Cisnal | first1 =M. | date =2011 | work =Désillusion d'une utopie : histoire et état des lieux du quartier Méradeck à Bordeaux | language =fr | access-date =May 29, 2023}}</ref> During the renovation, the resident clubs moved to a bare-bones temporary rink located in the northern Lake quarter, near the [[Vélodrome de Bordeaux|Stadium Vélodrome]] and the location of the future [[Nouveau Stade de Bordeaux]].<ref name="20min-16nov04"/>

===Management===
The building's management contract originally went to France Patinoire, a company chaired by [[Thierry Lacarrière]], son of [[IIHF Hall of Fame]]r [[Jacques Lacarrière (ice hockey)|Jacques Lacarrière]],<ref name="so-23dec17"/><ref>{{cite web | url =https://www.francebleu.fr/emissions/l-histoire-du-jour-avec-michel-cardoze/gironde/les-premiers-jours-de-la-patinoire-de-bordeaux-en-1982 | title =Les premiers jours de la patinoire de Bordeaux en 1982 | last1 =Cardoze | first1 =Michel | date =January 9, 2018 | work =[[France Bleu|francebleu.fr]] | publisher=[[Radio France]] | access-date =May 29, 2023}}</ref> and later to a successor entity called Bordeaux Gestion Equipement, also headed by Lacarrière.<ref>{{cite web | url =https://www.liberation.fr/societe/1997/11/28/bordeaux-la-gestion-chaban-mise-en-charpie_221023/ | title =Bordeaux: la gestion Chaban mise en charpie | last1 =Thoraval | first1 =Armelle | date =November 28, 1997 | work =[[Libération]] | language =fr | access-date =May 29, 2023}}</ref> BGE's accounting was called into question and in 1997, management rights to the rink and other public establishments were transferred to a new outfit called Société Bordelaise de Sports et Loisirs (SBSL), which took the commercial name Axel Vega due to being a subsidiary of nationwide operator Vega.<ref>{{cite report |last1=Da Rold |first1=Jacques |date=2010 |title=Sociétés d'économie mixte locales et Partenariats Public Privé (France–Europe) |url=https://archive.org/details/manualzilla-id-6429422/page/n1/mode/2up | location=Pessac |publisher=UMR ADES |pages=33 |docket= |access-date=May 2, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite report |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |date=2011 |title=Vega – La gestion partenaire |url=https://www.yumpu.com/fr/document/read/6918989/manifestations-culturelles-vegan| location=Paris |publisher=Vega |pages= |access-date=May 2, 2024}}</ref> Vega was absorbed by [[FIMALAC]] in 2010 and later phased out, but the legacy branding "Axel Vega" has been retained for the Bordeaux facilities.<ref>{{cite web | url =https://www.epsilon-research.com/multiples-de-transaction/media-communication/fimalac/vega?dealId=103808 | title =Fimalac / Vega | author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> | date =November 5, 2010 | website =epsilon-research.com | language =fr | access-date =April 2, 2023}}</ref>

==Ice rink==
Patinoire de Mériadeck features a single Olympic-size ice pad, as well as four locker rooms.<ref name="tech-09">{{Citation | date=February 2009 |url=https://www.yumpu.com/fr/document/read/51687042/fiche-technique-patinoire-meriadeck-axel-vega | title=Fiche technique patinoire Mériadeck |type=technical document | publisher=Axel Vega | location=Bordeaux}}</ref> In addition to the Boxers professional hockey team, it also houses Bordeaux Sports de Glace 33, which oversees [[ice dancing]] and [[ballet on ice]] activities.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bsg33.org/ |title=Bordeaux Sports de Glace – Danse sur glace et patinage synchronisé |website=bsg33.org |accessdate=June 2, 2014}}</ref> In 1996, the building played home to Group K of the [[1996 IIHF European Cup|IIHF European Cup]] as the nominal hosts, French champions [[Albatros de Brest]], moved the round robin tournament there due to their small rink not meeting continental competition standards.<ref>{{cite web | url =https://www.letelegramme.fr/finistere/bellevue-29200/spanhockeyspan-le-kop-brestois-dans-le-sillage-des-albatros-1952335.php | title =Hockey. Le kop brestois dans le sillage des Albatros |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> | date =September 24, 2023 | work =Le Télégramme | location=Brest | language =fr |access-date =April 19, 2024 |url-access=subscription}}</ref>

During the summer of 2013, the ice pad was completely redone.<ref>{{cite web | url =https://www.sudouest.fr/gironde/bordeaux/quatre-mois-sans-patinoire-a-bordeaux-8622184.php | title =Quatre mois sans patinoire à Bordeaux | last1 =Rousset | first1 =Julien | date =April 26, 2013 | work =[[Sud Ouest (newspaper)|Sud Ouest]] | location=Bordeaux | language =fr |access-date =April 19, 2024 |url-access=subscription}}</ref> In 2017, the arena's concert activities—which often conflicted with the Boxers' schedule—were transferred to a new, suburban arena {{See below|{{section link||Stage configuration}}}}.<ref>{{cite web | url =https://www.sudouest.fr/sport/hockey-sur-glace/l-eternel-probleme-des-boxers-de-bordeaux-7548799.php | title =L’éternel problème des Boxers de Bordeaux | last1 =Leshauriès | first1 =Yoan | date =October 31, 2015 | work =Sud Ouest | location=Bordeaux | language =fr |access-date =April 19, 2024 |url-access=subscription}}</ref> With the emphasis now placed on sports, three halls were redesigned and added to the arena's corporate hospitality offerings,<ref name="bleu-24jan18">{{cite AV media | url=https://www.francebleu.fr/emissions/place-des-grands-hommes/gironde/les-grands-moments-de-la-patinoire-meriadeck-a-bordeaux-et-son-avenir-avec-franck-boucher | people =Boucher, Franck (guest) |title=Les grands moments de la patinoire Mériadeck à Bordeaux et son avenir | series=Place des grands hommes | type=radio talk show | date=January 24, 2018 | location=Bordeaux |publisher=[[France Bleu]] Gironde |access-date=March 27, 2024 }}</ref>{{Rp|p=29:50}}<ref>{{cite report |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |date=November 20, 2019 |title=Extrait du registre des délibérations du conseil municipal | section=Equipements de sports et de loisirs. Rapport annuel de l'exercice clos le 31 décembre 2018 |url=https://www.bordeaux.fr/images/ebx/fr/CM/14962/14/acteCM/84331/pieceJointeSpec/176297/file/acte_00080916_D.pdf |publisher=City of Bordeaux |page=15 |docket=D-2019/505 |access-date=May 2, 2024}}</ref> filling a need of the Boxers who had maxed out Meriadeck's club seating several years prior while still in the [[FFHG Division 1|second tier]].<ref name="b7-18apr14">{{cite web | url =http://archives.bordeaux7.com/sport/10745-hockey-boxers | title =Hockey : Les Boxers ont 'la volonté d’être champions' | author=O.S.F. | date =April 18, 2014 | website =bordeaux7.com | language =fr | access-date =April 2, 2023}}</ref> A suspended video cube with a mounted camera was also installed.<ref name="bleu-24jan18"/>{{Rp|p=30:10}}<ref>{{cite web | url =https://www.witfm.fr/news/bordeaux-du-nouveau-pour-l-avenir-de-la-patinoire-meriadeck-3994 | title =Bordeaux : du nouveau pour l’avenir de la patinoire Mériadeck | last1 =Deville | first1 =Laure | date =December 17, 2017 | website =witfm.fr | access-date =May 29, 2023}}</ref> During the 2022–23 season, the city of Bordeaux re-allocated the bar concessions to the Boxers, providing the team with an additional revenue stream.<ref>{{cite web | url =https://www.hockey-boxers-de-bordeaux.fr/2023/08/02/thierry-parienty-et-le-modele-economique-des-boxers/ | title =Thierry Parienty et le modèle économique des Boxers |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> | date =August 2, 2023 | website =hockey-boxers-de-bordeaux.fr | language =fr | access-date =May 29, 2023}}</ref>

==Stage configuration==
Patinoire Mériadeck was the only French ice rink to function as a multi-propose arena for an extended length of time, as mixed-use sports and entertainment facilities are not the norm in the country, particularly when ice is a factor.<ref>{{cite news |people=Boucher, Franck (guest) |title=Quartier Mériadeck - la patinoire |date=2017 |series=En'vie de quartier |language=French |publisher=TV7 Bordeaux |url=https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x61adhv | access-date=9 September 2022}}</ref> The modular stage had a surface of {{convert|abbr=on|400|m2|sqft}}.<ref name="sauv-mer"/> The ice pad was covered by an insulated carpet, helping to keep the temperature at 9&nbsp;°C about 20 centimeters above the ice. In stage configuration, maximum capacity was 7,212 for standing room shows, and around 5,200 when the floor was used for seating. An additional stand could be deployed across one end of the playing surface.<ref name="guide">{{Citation | date=2017 |url=https://issuu.com/webmasterbordeauxtourisme/docs/w_meeting_guide_2017_bd_planche | title=Bordeaux Congress & Meeting Guide 2017 |type=brochure | publisher=Bordeaux Convention Bureau | page=44}}</ref>

During the 2004 renovation, the backstage area was beefed up with new storage rooms and extra dressing rooms for the artists, as they often had to resort to using the rink's locker rooms.<ref>{{cite thesis |type=Engineering, 1st year |last=Martin-Herrou |first=Adélaïde |date=2009 |title=Aménagement d’un Zénith sur des anciens frets SNCF à Bordeaux Bastide |location=Tours |publisher=Centre d'Études Supérieures en Aménagement |pages=22–23 |url=http://memoires.scd.univ-tours.fr/EPU_DA/LOCAL/2009stgDa3_MartinHerrouAdelaide.pdf }}</ref> The ground floor had a production office and one dressing room, while the expanded first floor received another six.<ref name="tech-09"/> The main hall was equipped with a new retractable stage,<ref name="so-23dec17"/> and the ceiling was overhauled improve its acoustics, which had been a persistent source of criticism.<ref>{{cite press release | title =Principales références | location=Bordeaux | publisher =Bertrand Nivelle Architecte DPLG | date =2013 | url =http://bertrandnivelle.com/BNA-REFS.pdf | access-date =April 2, 2023}}</ref><ref name="bleu-22dec17">{{cite web | url =https://www.francebleu.fr/infos/culture-loisirs/bordeaux-derniers-concerts-a-la-patinoire-meriadeck-ce-sont-des-souvenirs-pour-trois-quatre-1513954614 | title =Bordeaux - derniers concerts à la patinoire Meriadeck : 'des souvenirs pour trois ou quatre générations' | last1 =Coignac | first1 =Thomas | date =December 22, 2017 | work =[[France Bleu|francebleu.fr]] | publisher=[[Radio France]] | access-date =May 29, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url =https://rue89bordeaux.com/2016/04/bordeaux-metropole-arena-premiere-pierre-avant-les-stones/ | title =Bordeaux Métropole Arena, première pierre avant les Stones ? | last1 =Barthélémy | first1 =Simon | date =April 12, 2016 | website =rue89bordeaux.com | language =fr | access-date =May 29, 2023}}</ref> In 2017, with the opening of [[Arkéa Arena|Bordeaux Métropole Arena]] in suburban [[Floirac, Gironde|Floirac]], the ice rink stopped hosting concerts.<ref name="so-10nov17">{{cite web | url =https://www.sudouest.fr/gironde/bordeaux/bordeaux-bientot-la-fin-des-concerts-a-la-patinoire-3258126.php | title =Bordeaux : bientôt la fin des concerts à la patinoire | last1 =Dubourg | first1 =Stella | date =November 10, 2017 | work =Sud Ouest | location=Bordeaux | language =fr |access-date =April 19, 2024 |url-access=subscription}}</ref> The last such event was a showing of the popular musical ''[[Notre-Dame de Paris (musical)|Notre-Dame de Paris]]''.<ref name="so-7jan12"/> However, it will continue to be rented out for one-off corporate events, which typically require lighter logistics and are not expected to interfere with the life of residents clubs as much as concerts did.<ref name="bleu-24jan18"/>{{Rp|p=31:20}}

==Notable events==
===Sports===
* [[ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating]] – [[Grand Prix de France (figure skating)|Trophée de France]] (1995, 2014, 2015)
* [[French Figure Skating Championships]] (1983, 1995)
* French Ice Dancing Championships (1990, 1992, 1997)
* [[Ligue Magnus]] All-Star Game (2018)
* [[Ice theatre|Ballet on Ice]] Gold Cup/Nations Cup (2024)

===Politics===
* Allocution of President [[François Mitterrand]] – Congrès de la Mutualité (1982)<ref>{{cite web | url =https://www.sudouest.fr/gironde/bordeaux/bordeaux-les-engagements-de-mitterrand-au-congres-de-la-mutualite-en-1982-15042690.php | title =Bordeaux : les engagements de Mitterrand au Congrès de la Mutualité en 1982 | last1 =Ras | first1 =George | date =May 5, 1982 | work =[[Sud Ouest (newspaper)|Sud Ouest]] | location=Bordeaux | language =fr |access-date =April 19, 2024 |url-access=subscription}}</ref>

===Featured entertainers===
{{columns-list|
* [[A-ha]]
* [[Charles Aznavour]]
* [[Chuck Berry]]
* [[Bon Jovi]]
* [[James Brown]]
* [[The Cranberries]]
* [[Ray Charles]]
* [[Bob Dylan]]
* [[Cirque du Soleil]]
* [[Deep Purple]]
* [[Céline Dion]]
* [[The Cure]]
* [[Elton John]]
* [[Dancing with the Stars|''Dancing with the Stars'' France]]
* [[Depeche Mode]]
* [[Dire Straits]]
* [[Patrick Dupond]]
* [[Earth, Wind and Fire]]
* ''[[Flashdance: The Musical]]''
* [[Genesis (band)|Genesis]]
* ''[[Ice Age (franchise)#Live show|Ice Age Live! A Mammoth Adventure]]''
* [[INXS]]
* [[Jean-Michel Jarre]]
* [[Korn]]
* [[Lenny Kravitz]]
* [[Lord of the Dance (musical)|Michael Flatley's ''Lord of the Dance'']]
* ''[[Mamma Mia! (musical)|Mamma Mia!]]''
* [[Moby]]
* [[Muse]]
* [[Jimmy Page & Robert Plant]]
* [[Mike Oldfield]]
* [[Radiohead]]
* [[Red Hot Chili Peppers]]
* [[André Rieu]]
* [[Scorpions (band)|Scorpions]]
* [[Simple Minds]]
* [[Supertramp]]
* [[Sting (singer)|Sting]]
* [[Tina Turner]]
* [[Toto (band)|Toto]]
* [[U2]]
* [[Violetta (TV series)|Disney's ''Violetta Live'']]
* [[The Voice (franchise)|''The Voice'' France]]
* [[Hans Zimmer]]
* [[ZZ Top]]<ref>{{cite web | url =https://www.sudouest.fr/culture/musique/en-images-30-ans-de-concerts-a-la-patinoire-meriadeck-a-bordeaux-3258188.php | title =En images : 30 ans de concerts à la patinoire Mériadeck à Bordeaux | author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> | date =2012 | work =Sud Ouest | location=Bordeaux | language =fr |access-date =April 19, 2024 |url-access=subscription}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url =https://www.concertarchives.org/venues/patinoire-meriadeck | title =Patinoire Meriadeck Concert History | author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> | date = | website =concertarchives.org | access-date =May 29, 2023}}</ref>
}}


==References==
==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{Reflist}}


==External==
* [https://congress.bordeaux-tourism.co.uk/sports-and-leisure-facilities/patinoire-meriadeck-bordeaux.html Patinoire Mériadeck at Bordeaux Meeting & Congress]
* [https://axelvega.com/etablissements/patinoire-bordeaux/ Patinoire Bordeaux Mériadeck at axelvega.com] (in French)

{{Authority control}}

{{Coord|44.8368|N|0.5860|W|source:wikidata-and-enwiki-cat-tree_region:FR|display=title}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Patinoire de Meriadeck}}
[[Category:Indoor arenas in France]]
[[Category:Indoor arenas in France]]
[[Category:Concert halls in France]]
[[Category:Concert halls in France]]
[[Category:Sports venues in Bordeaux]]

[[Category:Ice hockey venues in France]]
[[fr:Patinoire de Mériadeck]]

Latest revision as of 19:04, 21 June 2024

Patinoire de Mériadeck
Map
Full namePatinoire Axel Vega
Address95 Cours du Maréchal Juin
LocationBordeaux
Public transitTram interchange Hôtel de police
OperatorGroupe Récréa
(via SBSL Axel Vega)
Executive suites7 salons[5]
Capacity3,312 (all-seater, ice hockey)
Field size60 × 30 metre
Surface12,560 m2 (135,200 sq ft)[4]
Construction
Broke groundNovember 1979
Built1979–1981
OpenedDecember 18, 1981 (public opening)[1]
January 7, 1982 (inauguration ceremony)[2][3]
Expanded2004
Construction costFF 72–77 millions
ArchitectClaude Henri Aubert (1981 original)
Bertrand Nivelle (2004 extension)
Tenants
Boxers de Bordeaux (Ligue Magnus)
(1998–present)

Patinoire Axel Vega,[6] commonly known as Patinoire de Mériadeck (English: Mériadeck Ice Rink) after the eponymous Mériadeck quarter, is a multi-purpose arena located in Bordeaux, Gironde, France. Today primarily used as an ice rink, it is the home of professional ice hockey team Boxers de Bordeaux. Between 1981 and 2017, it doubled as the agglomeration's main concert venue, and hosted many artists of national and international stature.

History

[edit]

Design and building

[edit]

Patinoire de Mériadeck replaced a smaller, community-style rink called Le Skating and located on Place des Quinconces. It was part of a large urban renewal project for the eponymous Mériadeck business district. Its design was authored by architect Claude-Henri Aubert, who was also in charge of urban planning for the entire Aquitaine Coast region, and was unveiled to the general public in October 1979.[7] Culminating at 27 meter above ground, it is an amalgamation of truncated pyramidal volumes, covered by a roof made of a copper tiles. The building's steel armature alone weighs 500 tons.[8] Its style foreshadows that of the Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy, built two years later, and it has been referred to as a "little Bercy".[7]

Construction began in November 1979 through a consortium of some thirty, mostly local companies. The building was delivered on October 28, 1981.[2] It officially opened to the public on December 18, 1981.[1] Its cost was evaluated between FF 72 million[2] and FF 77 million.[4] It was originally planned to be connected to a neighboring library by a shopping arcade, but the library was delayed until 1991 and the shopping arcade was abandoned during that time.[4]

The rink has received a number of refurbishments over the years, but the most significant was a 2004 extension and remodel overseen by local architect Bertrand Nivelle, at a cost of €5.3 million.[9] The entrance hall was enlarged and outfitted with additional staircases, while skylights were added to the original roof above it. On the opposite side, an extension—which was given a copper look like the roof—was built, which featured a catering area and new backstage space for the artists.[2][10][11] During the renovation, the resident clubs moved to a bare-bones temporary rink located in the northern Lake quarter, near the Stadium Vélodrome and the location of the future Nouveau Stade de Bordeaux.[9]

Management

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The building's management contract originally went to France Patinoire, a company chaired by Thierry Lacarrière, son of IIHF Hall of Famer Jacques Lacarrière,[2][12] and later to a successor entity called Bordeaux Gestion Equipement, also headed by Lacarrière.[13] BGE's accounting was called into question and in 1997, management rights to the rink and other public establishments were transferred to a new outfit called Société Bordelaise de Sports et Loisirs (SBSL), which took the commercial name Axel Vega due to being a subsidiary of nationwide operator Vega.[14][15] Vega was absorbed by FIMALAC in 2010 and later phased out, but the legacy branding "Axel Vega" has been retained for the Bordeaux facilities.[16]

Ice rink

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Patinoire de Mériadeck features a single Olympic-size ice pad, as well as four locker rooms.[17] In addition to the Boxers professional hockey team, it also houses Bordeaux Sports de Glace 33, which oversees ice dancing and ballet on ice activities.[18] In 1996, the building played home to Group K of the IIHF European Cup as the nominal hosts, French champions Albatros de Brest, moved the round robin tournament there due to their small rink not meeting continental competition standards.[19]

During the summer of 2013, the ice pad was completely redone.[20] In 2017, the arena's concert activities—which often conflicted with the Boxers' schedule—were transferred to a new, suburban arena (see § Stage configuration).[21] With the emphasis now placed on sports, three halls were redesigned and added to the arena's corporate hospitality offerings,[22]: 29:50 [23] filling a need of the Boxers who had maxed out Meriadeck's club seating several years prior while still in the second tier.[24] A suspended video cube with a mounted camera was also installed.[22]: 30:10 [25] During the 2022–23 season, the city of Bordeaux re-allocated the bar concessions to the Boxers, providing the team with an additional revenue stream.[26]

Stage configuration

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Patinoire Mériadeck was the only French ice rink to function as a multi-propose arena for an extended length of time, as mixed-use sports and entertainment facilities are not the norm in the country, particularly when ice is a factor.[27] The modular stage had a surface of 400 m2 (4,300 sq ft).[4] The ice pad was covered by an insulated carpet, helping to keep the temperature at 9 °C about 20 centimeters above the ice. In stage configuration, maximum capacity was 7,212 for standing room shows, and around 5,200 when the floor was used for seating. An additional stand could be deployed across one end of the playing surface.[28]

During the 2004 renovation, the backstage area was beefed up with new storage rooms and extra dressing rooms for the artists, as they often had to resort to using the rink's locker rooms.[29] The ground floor had a production office and one dressing room, while the expanded first floor received another six.[17] The main hall was equipped with a new retractable stage,[2] and the ceiling was overhauled improve its acoustics, which had been a persistent source of criticism.[30][31][32] In 2017, with the opening of Bordeaux Métropole Arena in suburban Floirac, the ice rink stopped hosting concerts.[33] The last such event was a showing of the popular musical Notre-Dame de Paris.[7] However, it will continue to be rented out for one-off corporate events, which typically require lighter logistics and are not expected to interfere with the life of residents clubs as much as concerts did.[22]: 31:20 

Notable events

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Sports

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Politics

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References

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  1. ^ a b Cardoze, Michel (January 9, 2018). "Les premiers jours de la patinoire de Bordeaux en 1982". francebleu.fr. Radio France. Retrieved May 29, 2023.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Michel, Marjorie. "Le saviez-vous ? Ce dimanche, la patinoire de Mériadeck à Bordeaux souffle ses 42 bougies". Sud Ouest (in French). Bordeaux. Retrieved April 19, 2024.
  3. ^ Pech, Olivier (March 23, 2021). "Bordeaux : en 1982, la patinoire de Mériadeck accueille les meilleurs patineurs artistiques du monde". Sud Ouest (in French). Bordeaux. Retrieved April 19, 2024.
  4. ^ a b c d "39 La Patinoire". sauvegarder-meriadeck.fr (in French). February 8, 2011. Retrieved April 2, 2023.
  5. ^ Laplume, Nicolas (February 1, 2024). "'On sent un véritable engouement' : les Boxers de Bordeaux remplissent la patinoire de Mériadeck". Sud Ouest (in French). Retrieved May 29, 2023.
  6. ^ "Axel Vega Patinoire". recrea.fr (in French). Retrieved June 21, 2024.
  7. ^ a b c Bosdechers, Laure (January 7, 2012). "Patinoire Mériadeck de Bordeaux : 30 ans de glace et de strass". Sud Ouest (in French). Bordeaux. Retrieved April 19, 2024.
  8. ^ Lafitte, J. (1982). "La patinoire de Bordeaux". Profil. No. 48.
  9. ^ a b "Accueil glacial pour la nouvelle patinoire". 20 Minutes (in French). November 16, 2004. Retrieved May 29, 2023.
  10. ^ "Patinoire de Bordeaux Mériadeck". bertrandnivelle.com (in French). Retrieved April 2, 2023.
  11. ^ Cisnal, M. (2011). "La Patinoire". Désillusion d'une utopie : histoire et état des lieux du quartier Méradeck à Bordeaux (in French). Retrieved May 29, 2023.
  12. ^ Cardoze, Michel (January 9, 2018). "Les premiers jours de la patinoire de Bordeaux en 1982". francebleu.fr. Radio France. Retrieved May 29, 2023.
  13. ^ Thoraval, Armelle (November 28, 1997). "Bordeaux: la gestion Chaban mise en charpie". Libération (in French). Retrieved May 29, 2023.
  14. ^ Da Rold, Jacques (2010). Sociétés d'économie mixte locales et Partenariats Public Privé (France–Europe) (Report). Pessac: UMR ADES. p. 33. Retrieved May 2, 2024.
  15. ^ Vega – La gestion partenaire (Report). Paris: Vega. 2011. Retrieved May 2, 2024.
  16. ^ "Fimalac / Vega". epsilon-research.com (in French). November 5, 2010. Retrieved April 2, 2023.
  17. ^ a b Fiche technique patinoire Mériadeck (technical document), Bordeaux: Axel Vega, February 2009
  18. ^ "Bordeaux Sports de Glace – Danse sur glace et patinage synchronisé". bsg33.org. Retrieved June 2, 2014.
  19. ^ "Hockey. Le kop brestois dans le sillage des Albatros". Le Télégramme (in French). Brest. September 24, 2023. Retrieved April 19, 2024.
  20. ^ Rousset, Julien (April 26, 2013). "Quatre mois sans patinoire à Bordeaux". Sud Ouest (in French). Bordeaux. Retrieved April 19, 2024.
  21. ^ Leshauriès, Yoan (October 31, 2015). "L'éternel problème des Boxers de Bordeaux". Sud Ouest (in French). Bordeaux. Retrieved April 19, 2024.
  22. ^ a b c Boucher, Franck (guest) (January 24, 2018). Les grands moments de la patinoire Mériadeck à Bordeaux et son avenir (radio talk show). Place des grands hommes. Bordeaux: France Bleu Gironde. Retrieved March 27, 2024.
  23. ^ "Equipements de sports et de loisirs. Rapport annuel de l'exercice clos le 31 décembre 2018". Extrait du registre des délibérations du conseil municipal (PDF) (Report). City of Bordeaux. November 20, 2019. p. 15. D-2019/505. Retrieved May 2, 2024.
  24. ^ O.S.F. (April 18, 2014). "Hockey : Les Boxers ont 'la volonté d'être champions'". bordeaux7.com (in French). Retrieved April 2, 2023.
  25. ^ Deville, Laure (December 17, 2017). "Bordeaux : du nouveau pour l'avenir de la patinoire Mériadeck". witfm.fr. Retrieved May 29, 2023.
  26. ^ "Thierry Parienty et le modèle économique des Boxers". hockey-boxers-de-bordeaux.fr (in French). August 2, 2023. Retrieved May 29, 2023.
  27. ^ Boucher, Franck (guest) (2017). "Quartier Mériadeck - la patinoire". En'vie de quartier (in French). TV7 Bordeaux. Retrieved 9 September 2022.
  28. ^ Bordeaux Congress & Meeting Guide 2017 (brochure), Bordeaux Convention Bureau, 2017, p. 44
  29. ^ Martin-Herrou, Adélaïde (2009). Aménagement d’un Zénith sur des anciens frets SNCF à Bordeaux Bastide (PDF) (Engineering, 1st year). Tours: Centre d'Études Supérieures en Aménagement. pp. 22–23.
  30. ^ "Principales références" (PDF) (Press release). Bordeaux: Bertrand Nivelle Architecte DPLG. 2013. Retrieved April 2, 2023.
  31. ^ Coignac, Thomas (December 22, 2017). "Bordeaux - derniers concerts à la patinoire Meriadeck : 'des souvenirs pour trois ou quatre générations'". francebleu.fr. Radio France. Retrieved May 29, 2023.
  32. ^ Barthélémy, Simon (April 12, 2016). "Bordeaux Métropole Arena, première pierre avant les Stones ?". rue89bordeaux.com (in French). Retrieved May 29, 2023.
  33. ^ Dubourg, Stella (November 10, 2017). "Bordeaux : bientôt la fin des concerts à la patinoire". Sud Ouest (in French). Bordeaux. Retrieved April 19, 2024.
  34. ^ Ras, George (May 5, 1982). "Bordeaux : les engagements de Mitterrand au Congrès de la Mutualité en 1982". Sud Ouest (in French). Bordeaux. Retrieved April 19, 2024.
  35. ^ "En images : 30 ans de concerts à la patinoire Mériadeck à Bordeaux". Sud Ouest (in French). Bordeaux. 2012. Retrieved April 19, 2024.
  36. ^ "Patinoire Meriadeck Concert History". concertarchives.org. Retrieved May 29, 2023.

External

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44°50′12″N 0°35′10″W / 44.8368°N 0.5860°W / 44.8368; -0.5860

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