The family company owned by Jean-Michel Aulas, Holnest, has entered into exclusive discussions with the OL Groupe in order to buy back its Arena located in OL Vallée, the group announced on Tuesday April 2 in a press release.
These “confidential” negotiations aim to sell all of the shares in the company OLG Vallée Arena, which operates the LDLC Arena sports hall, in Décines-Charpieu, near Lyon. The exclusivity period extends until May 31, 2024.
This ultra-modular, 16,000-seat multipurpose hall opened its doors at the end of 2023 and notably hosts certain Tony Parker's Asvel basketball matches.
The LDLC Arena project was led by Jean-Michel Aulas, former president of Olympique Lyonnais and CEO of OL Groupe until its sale to the American John Textor in the spring of 2023. According to several media, the price sales would be 160 million euros. The cost of the work amounted to 141 million euros.
At 75, he now only holds 5.49% of the group's capital through his holding company Holnest. After the repurchase of 87.69% of the shares, he was appointed executive chairman for three years before being dismissed from this position on May 5. Subsequently, Jean-Michel Aulas and John Textor engaged in various legal proceedings before putting an end to their differences in December. Shortly after, Jean-Michel Aulas officially declared himself a candidate to buy the room.
The exclusive discussions were finally authorized by the OL Groupe board of directors. This proposed sale is part of the new strategy of Eagle Football, majority shareholder of OL Groupe, aiming to refocus its activities around men's football.
On March 18, OL Groupe, whose corporate name also became Eagle Football Group following a decision taken by the general meeting of shareholders in December, had already sold its American women's football club, Seattle-Reign FC, for 53.6 million euros.
