Sumptuous parties for the FE

Photo courtesy
The closing gala of the season of the Formula E was held July 31 at New City Gas in Montreal in the presence of the leaders of the circuit, and drivers.

Eric Yvan Lemay

Tuesday, 19 December, 2017 01:00

UPDATE
Tuesday, 19 December, 2017 01:00

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The organizers of the Formula racing electric (FE), an event which was cancelled yesterday by the mayor Valerie Plant, has spent $ 1.2 million to organize two sumptuous parties VIP.

Our Bureau of investigation has learned that this is the taxpayers montreal that could pick up the major part of this bill. One of these events was the closing gala event of the year for the drivers. It took place at the New City Gas and brought together the crème de la FE, elected officials, and a few stars. Another VIP event, the Emotion Club, welcomed the audience more affluent during the race. There was champagne at will, a gourmet menu and a performance by DJ.

The director-general of Montreal is electric (MCE), Simon Pillarella, argued with our Office of investigation, that these two receptions were part of the obligations in the contract to host the final of the championship. According to him, they were negotiated by the office of the ex-mayor Denis Coderre.

Photo courtesy

The person responsible for the transport to the executive committee in the administration Coderre, Aref Salem, has published on Facebook a photo of her presence at the event where he is seen with a woman who wears a dress liquor dispenser. Nothing indicates, however, that Mr. Salem should be related to the fiasco of the event.

No race next summer

ERM, the non-profit organization in charge of organizing the race, finds himself in serious financial difficulties with a debt of$ 13.5 Million related to the event that has crippled the streets of the city centre in July last.

Before the ” fiscal fiasco “, the mayor Valerie Plant has decided to put an end to the race which was to take place in 2018 and 2019. It was estimated yesterday at a press conference that the holding of the event in 2018 would cost 30 to$ 35 Million additional.

The decision not to put public money in the venture was taken by the mayor following a meeting with one of the main leaders of the FE, Alberto Longo, which took place Friday in Montreal. The administration’s proposal Plant to suspend the race for a year, the time to review the finances of the event and develop a track suited to the circuit Gilles-Villeneuve, was released by Longo.

According to the first estimates, it would cost between six and $ 10 million to adapt the circuit Gilles-Villeneuve. Other sites have also been considered, notably around the olympic stadium, the Technoparc Saint-Laurent, and even the former racecourse.

Coderre had promised$11.5 Million

According to MCE, the office of the ex-mayor Denis Coderre had promised to find$ 11.5 Million in government grants for the event, but it was finally delivered as 3.45 M$. Recall that the City of Montreal has invested$ 24 Million in addition to providing a deposit of$ 10 Million to the organizers, which was almost entirely used to this day.

What they said

“The financial set-up of the former administration was unrealistic, disconnected and even doubtful. “

– Valérie Plante, mayor of Montreal

“It was a fledgling event, which had not yet been proven. […] Our grant of [$1.5 million] was at the height of our prudence. “

– Martin Coiteux, responsible for the Montreal region

“In a context where the figures [presented by the mayor] will prove to be true and can be verified, it is believed that the decision to cancel the Formula E is justified. It will have to wait for the balance sheet and the financial statements on the part of MCE. “

– Lionel Perez, the leader of the opposition

“It is contempt for the elected officials. The directors of Denis Coderre refused to give us the information [when we started to ask questions about the financing], and we have outright misled the city council. “

– Marvin Rotrand, city councillor for Coalition Montreal

“From the beginning, it was a total non-sense, the manner in which the case was conducted by the administration Coderre. […] It is relieved as merchants, as citizens and as a payer of taxes. “

– Frédéric Cormier, owner of the bar Station Ho.st

“It shows that citizens can make a difference if they organize themselves well. We were able to demonstrate our cause and it was successful. “

– Heidi Miller, founder of the group Formula citizen

Chronology of events

♦ June 9, The site of preparation of a circuit of the Form E causes a traffic monster in the city centre of Montreal. The 1140 citizens locked in the circuit are already struggling to make them at home and 25 traders have noted a decline in the customer base.

♦ July 25, projet Montréal criticizes the choice of the site, as well as the$ 24 Million invested by the City of Montreal in the event, including$ 7.5 Million in walls made of concrete. Projet Montréal argued that the race should have been held on the circuit Gilles-Villeneuve. The mayor rejects this option.

♦ July 29, During the event, in addition to the traffic in the city centre, the traders of the circuit lose the majority of their customer base. More than a million of dollars have been spent for the police.

♦ July 31, The mayor and the promoter of the Formula E refuse to say if the race has been profitable, what proportion of the credit margin of$ 10 Million granted by Montreal to the organiser has been used and how many tickets for the event have been donated.

♦ November 1, The developer reveals that, of the 45 000 tickets products, 20 000 were given to the providers and to the residents of the area. According to TVA Nouvelles, only 5000 tickets have been bought.

♦ November 2, Our Office of investigation reveals the close links that exist between the organiser of Formula E, Montreal, this is electric, and the promoter evenko.

– Laurence Houde-Roy