Bordeaux wine museum millions over budget

The Cité des Civilisations du Vin in Bordeaux that is currently under construction is €18 million over budget but will be completed on schedule.

Artistic impression of the Bordeaux Wine Culture Centre

Destined to open in late 2016 as a wine museum, gallery and cultural space, it is said that at least €8m of the deficit was due to an underestimation of labour costs when plans were first drawn up several years ago as well as rising land costs.

According to La Gazette, Bordeaux’s mayor, Alian Juppé, admitted: “There is a significant deficit, there’s no denying it. The investment by the city has risen from €13m to €31m,” he concluded, indicating that it will be the city hall which will bear the weight of the increased budget.

The overall project was approved for €63m in 2012 but the budget re-evaluation has seen that figure rise to €77.7m, a further €3.4m investment on “visitor experience technology” – including smartphones that can translate into eight different languages – means the project will cost around €81.1m in total.

Despite the increase, when complete the complex is expected to eventually contribute €40m to the city’s economy and as well as creating 200 jobs over the three year construction period will create 250 full-time jobs at the centre when it is opened.