Toulouse Stadium

[Getmefood]

This is bad news just learned this morning the club Toulouse about the renovation of its stadium Arnauné.

This is the Dispatch which gives the information on this Friday morning. Indeed during the hearing before the administrative court, the government rapporteur took a stand against the project of the club evolving in Championship. A new blow when the work had already begun and then stopped.

The TO definitely has no luck with its stadium after the rejection of its initial project and the latest draft because the decisions of the judges are often similar to the state rapporteurs. This project that will lead Toulouse in the Super League will have to be reviewed and certainly the club will have to leave his den and historic district if he wants to grow.

https://treizemondial.fr/coup-dur-pour-le-toulouse-olympique/

wonder what the plan is next?? to develop the current stadium at Blagnac, move to Colomiers,  or wait til they reach Super League?

[Damien]

Disappointing news indeed.

[The Daddy]

Some posters are suggesting on the French site as an alternative that the other site they use Struxiano should be developed. Is this practical? Could that work? 

[Pigeon Lofter]

What's the issue....that the stadium is owned by the municipality and they won't finance any redevelopment?

If there's no plans to rebuild a sports stadium,will the land be allocated to alternative uses...like housing?

[audois]

Haven't TO been at Minimes since their formation 80 yrs ago? Longer certainly than most nearby complaining residents I reckon.The municipal authorities want a range of different size sports facilities around the city. Stade Arnaune is an inner city prime location.They've leveled one main grandstand and the clubhouse which was a fairly recent addition. Presently there are several amateur clubs I understand using the facility.

It's bizarre how the municipal authorities progressed the scheme so far and now have had their hands cut off leaving TO homeless.President Sarrazain  wrote a terse response to a local La Depeche du Midi newspaper piece the other week when the City Council claimed that all the major sporting clubs were being well catered for - but not for his club.

At the moment they play out at Blagnac where they've been I think since they've returned to the Championship.Their training base is at the Stade Struxiano where their Elite 1 side play. Some feel that may be a better longterm option and more space for development. Maybe something definite to report in the next two weeks.

 

[oiseau]

TO have actually been training at the Toulouse Lautrec ground since the bulldozers moved in at Les Minimes but maybe they are now training at the Struxiano. Lautrec is about a five minute walk north of Minimes and is very basic, the club were forced to spend money refurbishing the portakabins into a gym and offices etc which was totally unsuitable.

I spoke to someone from TO13 yesterday afternoon and he says the city council will need to act to find suitable facilities. Your guess is as good as mine as to what will happen. It was always obvious the parking around Minimes was totally inadequate so I can symphasise with the local residents.

It currently costs Bernard Sarrazain about 200000€ to rent Blagnac so i'm sure he is looking at better options.

[audois]

Blagnac XV doing OK in Federal 1 ahead of the famous Narbonne club now going through difficult times. A crowd of 500 for their home match Saturday I think so having TO there as a tenant a good deal? The pics I see of their training base could well be at the Lautrec facility as you indicate and not at Struxiano.

[oiseau]

Gordon, Blagnac XV is now owned by Frederic Michalak of course who is from the area.

Yes, the Struxiano is a decent enough complex and it is on the Metro which is a plus but the parking would be the problem again I imagine. I suppose the best would be to park on the outskirts and take the bus or train to the ground. I seem to recall the rugby pitch is synthetic.

Colomiers is easy to get to by road and train and would be a better proposition for Super League IMO with its 11000 capacity and easier parking than Stade Francais.

[Bleep1673]

I will bet any money if it was the RU team the Council would be falling over themselves to assist

[oiseau]

3 minutes ago, Bleep1673 said:

I will bet any money if it was the RU team the Council would be falling over themselves to assist

That's exactly what Mr Sarrazain the president was saying. He wants TO to be treated like the other sports as audois said.

[The Daddy]

My preference would be to develop Struxiano. They need their own ground 

[Manfred Mann]

What has happened to Carlos Zalduendo and his relationship with Toulouse Olympique? He is a former police bureaucrat who allegedly had good relations with all the power brokers in Toulouse.

Was that alleged influence true or false? And is he still connected to the club?

[Henson Park Old Firm]

Really sad news... I hope the can develop there own stadium.

[Fabou]

if SL, I would recommand the Stadium.

 

[The Daddy]

I don't think this news is as bad as people think. If Toulouse play their cards right they can turn this negative into a huge positive.

The opportunity to move to a larger complex like Struxiano and develop a new ground from scratch which can house all of the TO teams and provide a training ground could work in their favour. The most recent design of Stade Minimes was a much scaled down version of what was originally proposed and became almost pointless. In the end they were looking at a 4,000 capacity which is pointless for SL. Now they can start from scratch and go back to a 10,000 stadium.

The local government has said that the city needs stadiums of varying sizes including a boutique 10,000 capacity stadium so they have to and will build something somewhere. TO need to maximise this as much as possible now and see this as an opportunity. 

[oiseau]

Carlos comes to the occasional home game but has had little to do with the club since he took over (and consequently left) his job at the FFR13. He had some influence but the club is better run nowadays with a decent chairman willing to invest for the moment.

Quite agree Daddy, Les Minimes isn't suitable for their needs and ambitions. This will be a blessing in disguise for the club.

It's not over yet though cos' the judg will make the final ruling (the decision friday was advisory, as I understand it) around xmas and the club will be able to appeal.

[Damien]

I certainly think there is a large part of discrimination and prejudice going on here and if this wasn't a RL club the original vision would have been in place long ago, never mind the 4,000 capacity/training facility that it then morphed into.

[DoubleD]

27 minutes ago, Damien said:

I certainly think there is a large part of discrimination and prejudice going on here and if this wasn't a RL club the original vision would have been in place long ago, never mind the 4,000 capacity/training facility that it then morphed into.

It's all about the long game, there are forces working against us here in UK and even more so in France but as Catalans have shown, perseverance will pay off and we will come out top eventually. Cream always rises to the top

[Damien]

Just now, DoubleD said:

It's all about the long game, there are forces working against us here in UK and even more so in France but as Catalans have shown, perseverance will pay off and we will come out top eventually. Cream always rises to the top

I do wonder if things would have been different if Toulouse had been guaranteed a place in Super League like Catalans some years ago.

[DoubleD]

32 minutes ago, Damien said:

I do wonder if things would have been different if Toulouse had been guaranteed a place in Super League like Catalans some years ago.

Probably, but it would have been a big risk putting a 2nd French team in from the start, particularly after the Paris debacle

[Damien]

10 minutes ago, DoubleD said:

Probably, but it would have been a big risk putting a 2nd French team in from the start, particularly after the Paris debacle

Not from the start but certainly 5 or so years ago when Catalans were well established and more and more French players were starting to come through. A 2nd French SL team is a must for French RL to continue to progress.

[Tommygilf]

2 hours ago, oiseau said:

Carlos comes to the occasional home game but has had little to do with the club since he took over (and consequently left) his job at the FFR13. He had some influence but the club is better run nowadays with a decent chairman willing to invest for the moment.

Quite agree Daddy, Les Minimes isn't suitable for their needs and ambitions. This will be a blessing in disguise for the club.

It's not over yet though cos' the judg will make the final ruling (the decision friday was advisory, as I understand it) around xmas and the club will be able to appeal.

Don't get this board started on whether a decision was advisory, binding or neither haha. Can of worms!!!

[Fabou]

2 hours ago, The Daddy said:

I don't think this news is as bad as people think. If Toulouse play their cards right they can turn this negative into a huge positive.

The opportunity to move to a larger complex like Struxiano and develop a new ground from scratch which can house all of the TO teams and provide a training ground could work in their favour. The most recent design of Stade Minimes was a much scaled down version of what was originally proposed and became almost pointless. In the end they were looking at a 4,000 capacity which is pointless for SL. Now they can start from scratch and go back to a 10,000 stadium.

The local government has said that the city needs stadiums of varying sizes including a boutique 10,000 capacity stadium so they have to and will build something somewhere. TO need to maximise this as much as possible now and see this as an opportunity. 

sorry but I have difficulties to see that as a positive potential opportunity. Struxiano does not have any correct facilities (excpet if they build them in the past years.. but for what I remember…) .

Is there any sitting Place there? starting from scratch there?

Of course, Arnauné reniewed was not enough for SL but the club could have started from there and ask for more when a lot of enlgish fans for SL club would have been used to take a trip to Toulouse (as catalans did) .. It was the club home ffs. that is the biggest blow TO13 could receive. Inside the city, really not far away from the center, at a metro station... Arnauné was a terrific home for TO13. But that is what it is.

back to the 30ies... when ru prevented the acces to any ground to avoid RL to be plaid and spread. same strategy.

if they make it to SL, the Stadium has to be targeted after one or 2 seasons, once the TO fans reach regularly 5K+ . How much could it cost? the attendance for the TFC (football) which plays in the Stadium, must be between 10K and 15k...

That said, starting from scratch in Struxiano works for me if, by giving it up in Blagnac, they save enough Money to get 2 or 3 forwards that will make possible TO13's journey to SL...