Palais Nikaïa

Palais Nikaïa (French pronunciation: [palɛ nikaja]) is an indoor concert hall and multi-purpose facility located in Nice, France. It opened on 4 April 2001, and is located five minutes' drive from Côte d'Azur International Airport. The name Nikaïa derives from the ancient Greek settlement, predecessor of today's Nice. In addition to concerts, Palais Nikaïa can host variety shows, sporting events and conventions.

Palais Nikaia
Address163 Blvd du Mercantour
LocationNice, France
Coordinates43°40′42″N 7°12′1.06″E
OwnerVille de Nice
OperatorVega Group and Live Nation
Capacity6,250 seated
9,000 (with standing)
Construction
Built2000–2001
Opened1 April 2001 (2001-04-01)
Architect
  • Louis Chevalier
  • André Grésy
  • Serge Grésy
Website
Official website

On its own, Palais Nikaïa has seats for between 1,500 and 6,250 persons depending upon configuration, with an upwards maximum of 9,000 capacity including those standing. However, in a unique arrangement, it is located next to the outdoor Stade Charles-Ehrmann, with sliding glass doors to operate between them, and the two in combination can be used to host very large concerts with up to 50,000 or more in attendance.

History

Palais Nikaïa was built in 2000 and 2001 by the architects André Grésy and Serge Grésy, who had previously participated in the plans of the Zénith de Toulouse, as well as by Louis Chevalier. It was inaugurated on 4 April 2001 in the presence of Albert, Hereditary Prince of Monaco and Elton John. The latter then gave the first concert in the venue.[1] From 2001 to 2009, the palace was managed by Gilbert Coullier and Denis Thominet via the Société d'animation du Palais Nikaïa. In June 2009, the municipality chose as its new delegate the Vega Group associated with the French subsidiary of the Live Nation group in an operating structure called Société d'exploitation du Palais Nikaïa, and 70% owned by Vega.[2]

Following the death of Johnny Hallyday on 5 December 2017, two days later the Mayor of Nice Christian Estrosi proposed that the venue be renamed in Hallyday's honour.[3] Finally, the municipal council decided that only the forecourt of the performance hall would be renamed with the name of the singer.[4]

Events

Depeche Mode performed at the venue on May 4, 2013, during their Delta Machine Tour, in front of a recording-breaking sold-out crowd of 9,904 people. The venue hosted the 2013 Jeux de la Francophonie which took place in Nice from 6 to 15 September 2013. The disciplines practiced in this venue were judo and freestyle wrestling.

The venue is scheduled to host the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2023, which will take place on 26 November 2023.[5]

See also

References
  1. "Le Nikaia (Nice, 2001)". Structurae.
  2. "Live Nation Continues Expansion In Asia Through Creation Of Joint Venture With Leading Japanese Promoter Creativeman". Bloomberg (Press release). 23 February 2012. Retrieved 21 June 2014.
  3. "Désormais, le palais Nikaïa de Nice portera aussi le nom de Johnny Hallyday". Nice-Matin (in French). 7 December 2017.
  4. "Finalement, le palais Nikaia ne portera pas le nom de Johnny Hallyday". Nice-Matin (in French). 7 June 2018.
  5. "Junior Eurovision 2023 is heading to Nice!". Junioreurovision.tv. European Broadcasting Union. 3 April 2023.

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