Bordeaux: State Council annuls Matmut Atlantic public-private partnership contract

The public-private partnership contract signed in October 2011 between the city of Bordeaux and the chartered surveyors Vinci and Fayat for the construction and operation of the new Bordeaux stadium, now called Matmut Atlantique (42,000 capacity), has been cancelled by the State Council in a contentious decision made public on 12/05/2016.

"The information given to councillors before the decision regarding the partnership contract was inadequate," said the State Council, the highest French administrative court, which "orders the town of Bordeaux to notify the municipal council within four months, starting from the public notification of this present decision, to confirm the signature of the contract via a municipal council decision, in order to confirm the approval of the terms of the contract and the authorisation given to the of the Mayor of Bordeaux to sign it, to terminate the partnership contract."

"The judge noted that the councillors press fees did not take into account a 'grant' of €17m, paid by the municipality of Bordeaux as an advance on earnings. In addition, while the…