The Use of the 24 Hours of Le Mans as a Tool for Public Policy
The 24 Hours of Le Mans is one of the most influential sporting events in the world. This event generates significant economic benefits for the region. However, it can sometimes hinder regional development, particularly for the city of Le Mans, which suffers from the race’s overwhelming dominance in terms of public perception. Our initial findings show that Le Mans is primarily identified as a car race rather than as a city. This is a significant problem in the competition among regions. This study analyzes, through the concepts of governance and Public Action Instruments (PAI), how the city of Le Mans uses the 24 Hours of Le Mans event to promote its region and revitalize its image. We will highlight the city’s use of territorial branding, the economic sector, sister-city partnerships, and innovation as Public Action Instruments (PAIs).
Living in Le Mans can be seen as a privilege for anyone who loves motorsports. Indeed, the capital of the Sarthe department hosts the famous 24 Hours of Le Mans race every year. Established in 1923, this endurance race has grown over time to take a prominent place among the most influential sporting events in France and around the world. Le Mans ranks among the three most prestigious races on the planet, alongside the Monaco Grand Prix and the Indianapolis 500. In 2012, the renowned American scientific organization National Geographic Society (NGS) named the 24 Hours of Le Mans the world’s number one sporting event. Nationally, it is one of the French sporting events that attracts the largest crowds and generates the greatest economic impact for its region, ranking behind Roland-Garros and ahead of the Tour de France (Le Monde, 2015). In 2015, the economic impact of the event and the racetrack in general was estimated at around 115 million euros for the region (figures from the Automobile Club de l’Ouest, ACO). Thus, it quickly becomes clear that the city of Le Mans has, for nearly a century, benefited from a powerful tool for regional development. Thanks to a sporting event that bears its name, the city of Le Mans has forged an identity that today allows it to be recognized around the world.
Today, local governments have come to understand the benefits of hosting sporting events in their areas. In particular, there is increasingly fierce competition among regions to host major sporting events (Bessy 2014). Since the 1990s, many cities, regions, and countries have developed strategies and public policies aimed at hosting sporting events. Initially used to recoup the costs of the sports facilities built at great expense for the occasion, the regions involved quickly realized the economic, social, and tourism benefits of organizing such events on their own turf. The financial and organizational success of certain events (Los Angeles 1984, Seoul 1988) then spurred other regions to embark on an increasingly frenzied race to host major events. Faced with this reality, subnational regions are turning to smaller events that do not require large-scale facilities (Bessy 2014).
These events are the result of significant deliberation by local governments and stem from a development strategy that is generally carefully considered in advance. However, it is important to understand that the correlation between a sporting event and regional development is not necessarily a guarantee of success. Sporting events can be a valuable tool and a focus for development, but a region’s development policy cannot be based on this factor alone.
The approach to sports events in general remains complex “given that this field is now extremely diverse, involving numerous stakeholders with interests that are both convergent and divergent […], taking many different forms […], and raising issues of varying significance in economic, sociocultural, environmental, regional, communicational, and political terms. ” (Bessy & Suchet, 2015, p. 25).
The city of Le Mans is grappling with this complex issue. Despite the event’s extremely significant economic and tourism benefits for the region, one might wonder whether the 24 Hours of Le Mans can sometimes act as a barrier to the city’s regional development. Indeed, Le Mans’s image is associated with a racetrack and a motor race. In terms of image, this can sometimes be a disadvantage, because both in France and internationally, Le Mans evokes a motor race rather than a city. In the competition among cities, Le Mans does not start on equal footing. Our exploratory research allows us to affirm that the city has been known for motor racing since 1906 with the French Grand Prix, followed by the 24 Hours in 1923. By that time, an entire generation of French and European people knew Le Mans primarily for its auto racing events. To this we must add North Americans since 1950, the Japanese since 1960, and more recently, people from Asia and South America. Thus, we observe that for more than five generations, Le Mans’s image has been associated first and foremost with auto racing. These facts shape our initial observation. Today, according to sociologist Jean Viard, the most dynamic cities in France are those with a strong tourist image. This is because such an image encompasses all aspects of a city’s vitality: culture, the economy, hospitals, the university, and so on. However, the 24 Hours of Le Mans does not convey this tourist image because people do not envision a city behind the event. This phenomenon has long forced the city’s elected officials to consider how to make the most of this event.
Le Mans has many other historical, heritage, and cultural treasures worth highlighting. City officials and local stakeholders are committed to showcasing other aspects of the Le Mans region. This is not to say that we intend to distance ourselves from the 24 Hours of Le Mans, given how important this race is to the city. However, there is a desire to leverage the fame of the 24 Hours of Le Mans to highlight the other treasures of Le Mans that define its identity. This approach is driving the city to develop governance tools that will enable it to fulfill its goal of promoting these assets.
So, we might ask ourselves: What governance tools does the city of Le Mans use in this process?
This initial question leads us to define and understand the concept of governance, particularly the tools of governance. Governance is a broad and multifaceted concept. Attempting to define it presents a certain challenge and depends on the specific institutions to which one is referring. However, we will attempt to present this concept effectively.
Governance and Governance Tools
This concept has evolved in recent years in response to a context of crises and changes between the 1970s and 1990s (Lacroix and Saint-Arnaud, 2012). It was in this context that the concept of governance resurfaced. Long equated with the notion of “governance” or “government,” according to Gaudin and Moreau Defarges, the English term “governance” was brought back into the spotlight in the 1990s. “Once again, it refers to the art or manner of governing […] while distinguishing it from government as an institution […] and promoting a new approach to the management of public affairs based on the participation of civil society at all levels” (Paye, 2015, pp. 1–2). Thus, this concept is seen as the result of a shift in the relationships between politics, the economy, and civil society, with the latter gaining increasing prominence in the notion of governance (Lacroix and Saint-Arnaud, 2012). While many authors emphasize the vague nature of this concept, Lacroix and Saint-Arnaud have attempted to define this complex notion. Thus, governance could be defined as “the set of rules and collective processes, whether formalized or not, through which the relevant actors participate in decision-making and the implementation of public actions. These rules and processes, like the decisions that result from them, are the outcome of ongoing negotiation among the various stakeholders involved. This negotiation not only guides decisions and actions but also facilitates the sharing of responsibility among all stakeholders, each of whom possesses some form of power” (Lacroix and Saint-Arnaud, 2012, p. 8).
But here, as far as our work is concerned, governance is not the key factor in addressing our research question. To understand how the city of Le Mans uses the 24 Hours race as a promotional tool, we will examine the instruments of governance.
According to Lascousme and Le Galès, the issue of public policy instruments (PPIs) is often associated with the sociology of the state and governance. However, this topic is rarely the focus of analysis and is generally under-explored. Governance allows us to better understand the strategies defined by the city of Le Mans, but the instrument-based approach will enable us to address aspects of public policy that are otherwise not readily apparent. We can define them as “the set of issues raised by the selection and use of tools (techniques, operational methods, mechanisms) that make it possible to implement and operationalize government action” (Lascousme and Le Galès, 2005, p. 11). There are different types of instruments for different fields. It is rare for a policy to rely on a single instrument, which generally requires coordination among all these tools.
The effects associated with the use of IAPs can be manifold. Lascoumes has categorized them into three main types. First, there are aggregation effects. This is an essential step where actors—sometimes of different kinds—come together on issues they agree to address collaboratively and as part of a network. The instrument creates inertia effects due to the participation of multiple actors. Second, IAPs produce cognitive representations of the action they address. They help to give meaning. “The instrument imposes conventional definitions of social facts, […] leads to a particular framing of the issue […] and may even suggest an explanatory framework” (Lascoumes, 2011, p. 19). Finally, IAPs are never static and are inseparable from contextualized modes of endorsement. They give rise to mobilizations and activities of various forms.
For our study, it will therefore be interesting to understand how the city uses the selected public policy instruments in its strategy to promote itself through the event, and then to analyze both the intended and unintended effects. Here, as we noted in our initial observation, the city of Le Mans seeks to revitalize its image and identity, which have been overshadowed by the 24 Hours of Le Mans event. In terms of governance and public policy instruments, issues of a region’s image and identity lead us to the tool of regional marketing. Since the end of the 20th century, the context in which local governments operate has transformed, fostering the emergence of regional marketing (Hautbois and Desbordes 2011). Today, the key elected officials and staff at the helm of local governments must contend with intense competition in many areas, which compels them to become true managers in order to set themselves apart. Regional marketing enables them to address challenges related to attractiveness, image, and reputation. According to Gayet, this concept refers to “the set of techniques that enable the construction and development of a region’s attractiveness—that is, its ability to project its image, promote its offerings, and attract people and capital to the area, either on a temporary or permanent basis” (2014, Chapter 3). Thus, territorial marketing is a governance tool that encompasses numerous IAPs designed to address public policy challenges. This essential tool makes it possible to achieve economic development objectives (Hatem, 2007), particularly by taking into account the key issue of attractiveness, which has significant impacts on employment, the economy, and culture, as well as on the quality of life of residents in general” (Gayet, 2014, introduction).
A territorial brand is a key component of territorial marketing and can be considered an IAP. Defined as “symbolic constructs that aim to reinforce the meaning and appeal of cities, brands are signs that identify places and evoke associations that imbue them with cultural significance” (Vuignier, 2016, p. 8). They are used by regions seeking to establish an identity, to create an attractive image, or to foster the development of an already well-defined identity. Le Mans, which is seeking to change its city’s image, has introduced two successive regional brands over the past decade.
Thus, the various concepts we discussed earlier will help us better understand how the city of Le Mans uses the 24 Hours of Le Mans sporting event as an Instrument of Public Action as part of an effort to promote the Le Mans region. Through an analysis, we will examine why and how these Public Action Instruments (PAIs) were created, as well as the consequences of this event-related approach. We will also explore how the event—which is itself a key component of regional marketing—can serve as a valuable PAI for the city of Le Mans. Indeed, according to Hautbois, sporting events can address three key objectives when integrated into regional marketing strategies: “An objective related to the region’s image […], an objective related to development and/or tourism […], and an objective related to social and regional cohesion” (2014, p. 58). Finally, in the last section, we will see that the event itself can lead to the creation of numerous other IAPs by the city.
Methodology
Our study focuses on describing and analyzing the governance tools used by the city of Le Mans with the aim of promoting the region through the 24 Hours of Le Mans race. To gather high-quality information, we employed a qualitative research method using semi-structured interviews (Blanchet and Gotman, 2005).
Eight interviews, each lasting about 30 minutes, were conducted with elected officials (at the departmental and municipal levels), municipal department heads (Tourist Office, Communications Department, Tourism and Heritage Department), a division head at the association organizing the event (the ACO), a member of the ADT, and a tour guide working for the city and the ACO. This diverse range of stakeholders allows us to take into account the perspectives of both decision-makers and their subordinates.
Since the 24 Hours of Le Mans is an extremely influential event for the region, we felt it was important to include members of the department and the urban community in our sample. The city is not the only local authority investing in this event. Since the 1990s, following financial difficulties on the part of the ACO, a joint association was created by local authorities to purchase the racetrack. Composed of the region, the department, the metropolitan area, and the city, this association has made it possible to invest in renovations to the racetrack. Thus, even though the event bears only the city’s name, it is clear that the various public entities involved in the event must be taken into account. As we have seen previously, the issue of governance implies the use of politicized instruments that can have repercussions for multiple stakeholders.
Public policy tools related to the 24-hour event
Before discussing the IAPs associated with the event, let’s revisit our initial observation and the facts that justify the use of these tools. Our results confirm the city’s desire to use the event to promote the region. All stakeholders—the department, the metropolitan area, and the city—use this tool as part of a promotion strategy. According to a member of the Sarthe Territorial Development Agency (ADT), the 24-hour race serves as a “gateway” for the department to attract international visitors. This gateway then makes it possible to showcase the rest of the department. This same logic applies to the city of Le Mans, where the goal is to engage the event’s visitors to raise their awareness of the city’s other attractions, in order to “try to counterbalance,” according to a member of the city’s tourism office.
“What we want is to capitalize on the 24 Hours of Le Mans, which is a must-see event. We’re trying to ride the wave, so to speak, and make the most of it. It’s a bit like a tray—when there’s a tray with coffee on it, well, we try to add a glass of water ,” said a member of the Le Mans Tourist Office.
According to the tourism office representative, the event takes up a lot of space, but that’s not a criticism—the 24-hour race is a “driving force” that propels the region forward.
However, many stakeholders emphasize that the city sometimes needs to take a step back from the event in order to move forward more effectively. For example, consider this statement:
“Le Mans is a city known and recognized for this international event, and that is both important and relevant—but not only for that reason, because we also tend to overlook all the other great things happening in this city. ” Deputy Mayor of Le Mans.
The deputy mayor repeatedly emphasized that the city is brimming with talent that is unknown to the general public and that it has great potential for development. According to him, the city excels in certain areas, and it is important to highlight them. Today, the city is known primarily for its auto races, and this image sometimes prevents Le Mans from expressing itself freely. To address this situation, city officials are utilizing public policy tools.
The city's regional brand
A regional brand is a tool for regional marketing (Vuignier, 2016). It can sometimes be linked to sporting events as part of a regional development strategy. Here, the people we interviewed explain the challenges facing regional brands in connection with the 24 Hours of Le Mans race. We will focus on the two successive regional brands of the city of Le Mans: “Le Mans une marque” and “Of course Le Mans.”
To better understand the choice of these two regional brands, it is necessary to understand the role of the stakeholders. In the early 2000s, the city of Le Mans—led by Jean-Claude Boulard since 2001—decided to create the regional brand “Le Mans, une marque.”
With this slogan, the mayor wanted to bring the city into the modern era of regional marketing. In addition to this slogan, the city had developed three variations considered to be “derivative” brands that played on words, such as “EtonneMans,” “MouveMans,” and “DeveloppeMans.” So far, there is nothing surprising about this brand; it is the result of a well-executed regional strategy. As mentioned in our initial assessment, the city of Le Mans sometimes suffers from a negative image caused by the event’s overwhelming prominence. Jean-Claude Boulard understood this problem very well. It’s important to note that the ACO owns a trademark called “Le Mans.” A member of the association explained to us that this trademark is registered with the National Institute of Industrial Property. The ACO uses “Le Mans” as a trademark that it promotes worldwide. The association member justified this trademark by noting that it helps carry the city’s name throughout the world. According to our findings, Jean-Claude Boulard’s decision to establish “Le Mans, a brand” as the city’s territorial brand could be perceived as “ a response to the ACO, affirming that the ‘Le Mans’ brand is indeed the city’s brand and nothing else.” ” It was an affirmation and a reaffirmation that Le Mans is indeed the name of the city and not the name of the race. First and foremost, it is the name of a city. This highly significant decision was justified in particular by the often-strained relations between ACO leaders and the former mayor of Le Mans. The ACO and the city of Le Mans are two major powers that do not share the same political alignment. The new mayor’s deputy, who had also worked under Mr. Boulard, explains, “He had his own ambitions and aspirations […] he also wanted the city to shine for other reasons.” And when comparing him to the mayor who has been in office since 2019, he confirms that “Stéphane Le Foll shares the same vision but with the idea of building on the 24 Hours race as well […] It’s in your city; it’s unique. Let’s make the most of what we have to offer.”
The city’s communications department launched a new regional brand in March 2019 called “Of course Le Mans.” A member of the department explains the brand’s objectives and its connection to the 24 Hours of Le Mans race. According to him, Le Mans is a city whose identity is quite complex to convey beyond its local area. So the idea was to find a powerful slogan—a strong regional brand—to help communicate the city’s identity beyond its borders. “So we always use events with a strong regional reach.” The car race is undeniably the region’s flagship event, and the one the city relies on most. The name was chosen after several brainstorming sessions and is tied to the city’s strategy. “Our mayor wanted us to tie in a bit with the city’s major event, which is the 24 Hours of Le Mans. ” ‘Of course’ was quite appropriate as a brand so that they could build on the 24 Hours and the events surrounding it. The city’s goal was to replace the old regional brand, ‘Le Mans, une marque’—which wasn’t working—and to find a name that would unite residents, businesses, and all local stakeholders under a single brand. The city hoped that everyone in Le Mans would be able to embrace this brand. Its scope was therefore local, but also national and international. It’s no coincidence that the brand includes an Anglicism; the goal was to avoid having to translate it for international customers. Of course, everyone knows what it means. This point ties in with the objective of regional marketing as defined by Hatem (2007), which consists of “improving a given region’s market share in various types of national and international flows (commerce, investment, tourism, skills).”
The brand is new, but it has already generated a lot of positive buzz. It has been fairly well received by retailers, residents, and businesses. Our communications department representative explains that the goal is to have a brand that is meaningful and significant to local stakeholders. Through this racing-themed brand, the city of Le Mans sought to project “a dynamic and modern image.” The goal, therefore, is for economic and tourism stakeholders to adopt and use this brand in their communications, promotional efforts, and at booths outside the region—for example, to attract new economic players. Lascoumes and Le Galès explained that “A public policy instrument is a mechanism that is both technical and social, organizing specific social relationships between the public authority and its target audience based on the representations and meanings it conveys” (2005, p. 12). This is the case here, where we observe a desire among the region’s various stakeholders to take ownership of the public policy instrument. The city has created a tool that brings people together and allows everyone to use it. This instrument gives rise to the principle of the aggregation effect developed by Lascoumes (2011).
The Le Mans Tourist Office shares its perspective on this new regional brand. According to them, the brand should be interpreted in two ways. “Of course Le Mans” obviously means “Of course, Le Mans,” as if to emphasize that the city is associated with the event. But the “of” can also be interpreted as “beyond the race” to signify that there is more to the city than just the 24 Hours. This is also an objective: to show that there is more to the city by using the brand to promote other local events. “The goal is to find other ways to communicate, other platforms, and other events to promote the brand.” This idea echoes the work of Vuignier, who defines territorial brands as “symbolic constructs that aim to reinforce the meaning or appeal of cities” (2016, p. 8). This is the case here, where the brand evokes the association between the city and the race while also highlighting the fact that there is more to the region than just the race.
So, to highlight the other attractions within its territory, the city of Le Mans has decided to leverage … the fame of the 24 Hours of Le Mans race. Paradoxical. But not surprising, given that this event can serve as a tool for public outreach all on its own.
The 24 Hours of Le Mans, a Public Action Tool in Its Own Right
In terms of image, as we have seen, the 24-hour event can allow the city to capitalize on its reputation to promote the region. Regional branding helps, at least in part, to address the image deficit from which the city suffers. Beyond this aspect, it is undeniable that the event is a key economic driver through which the city can forge its own identity. The event serves as a tool upon which to build a new identity—a challenge for many regions (Rebillard, 2007).
The 24 Hours of Le Mans has been held in the city of Le Mans for nearly 100 years. As the birthplace of the automobile and motorsports, the race is known as a true technological laboratory. Many technologies that are now widely used have been tested on the Circuit de la Sarthe. Examples include, among others, road surfacing, fog lights, and disc brakes. As a result, a thriving economic sector linked to the automotive industry and research has developed around the event. A TechnoParc has been established at the circuit and is home to numerous automotive-related companies. This economic sector generates 115 million euros in economic impact, including 92 million euros in financial impact: 52.3 from direct economic impact resulting from the circuit’s operations; 29.6 in indirect benefits from lodging and dining services for non-local spectators; 9.85 in induced benefits from the revenue of TechnoParc companies dedicated to motorsports. In total, the 24 Hours of Le Mans circuit generates 2,456 FTE (Full-Time Equivalent) jobs and accounts for 1% of employment in the Sarthe department. (Figures from ACO and Sarthe Tourisme). Today, spin-offs of the event and related competitions have been created. The Bugatti Circuit (a scaled-down version of the Circuit de la Sarthe) hosts the 24 Hours races for motorcycles, trucks, bicycles, and inline skates, as well as the Le Mans Classic event. The driving school is renowned, and drivers from around the world come to Le Mans for training. Finally, beyond the main event, the circuit is used year-round. It hosts manufacturer test sessions, “lap tour” pit stops, training courses for chauffeurs of public figures, and more. In recent years, a Porsche Experience Center has even been established there . As a result, the circuit and the TechnoParc have become true economic drivers serving the Le Mans region. Local elected officials are aware of this economic impact and wish to capitalize on it.
“Let’s promote the industries related to the circuit because that also allows us to create jobs, conduct research, and help our university grow. It’s a virtuous cycle. Our business community is taking it rather well. But we must also be careful to highlight all the talent out there. I think that today we shouldn’t limit ourselves to this event.” Deputy Mayor.
To highlight all the key players, the event can serve as a promotional tool. This is what the city has been doing in collaboration with the ACO for several years. Examples of this include the car weigh-in in downtown Le Mans (the weigh-in is a tradition in Le Mans during 24 Hours of Le Mans week) and the drivers’ parade. Holding this event in the city rather than at the racetrack brings thousands of spectators into the city center, where they can interact with the city’s residents.
“ It’s no coincidence that the grand parade starts and ends right next to the cathedral. The idea is really to bring this monument to the attention of people all over the world, precisely to establish this image of a city with a rich historical heritage.” A member of the city’s Tourism and Heritage Department.
This highlights the city and its distinctive characteristics. It is featured in the media and on television broadcasts, which clearly links it to the 24-hour race. The weigh-in and the drivers’ parade can be considered true IAPs that showcase the city’s vibrancy to the widest possible audience.
With this in mind, the city is currently developing another IAP. Le Mans aims to expand its sister-city relationships, particularly with the American city of Indianapolis and the Japanese city of Suzuka. The deputy mayor explains that “the goal is to try to form a three-way partnership with these two cities, ” both of which are home to internationally renowned racetracks. Nothing has been finalized yet, but the three cities are discussing a possible partnership (according to an interview from 2021). For a member of the city’s Tourism and Heritage Department, this twinning initiative reflects a desire to associate the city with another city, rather than one race with another. It is an effort to raise the city’s international profile, not that of the event itself. Moreover, the Deputy Mayor noted , “Le Mans is a brand, and we do not use it as a local government entity. There’s a real challenge involved in that.” And today, that challenge undoubtedly involves innovations related to the circuit’s activities.
Innovation as a Tool for Public Policy
It is clear that local governments have recognized the opportunities this event can create in terms of innovation. This makes them more attractive and also allows them to set themselves apart from other regions. According to Bessy & Hillairet (2003), “Innovation can be defined as a conceptual and functional transformation that generates new services capable of altering attitudes toward and participation in sports to a greater or lesser extent and in a lasting way, while also fostering positive impacts on regional development.” This involves mobilizing multiple stakeholders to promote regional development and reflects the principle of governance (Lascousme and Le Galès 2005). This is precisely the objective of local governments regarding hydrogen. Stéphane Le Foll, in collaboration with the metropolitan area, the department, and the region, is seeking to develop hydrogen-powered vehicles. To this end, they plan to work with the ACO and use the racetrack, the TechnoParc, and the event as a technological laboratory by entering hydrogen-powered cars in the coming years.
“Hydrogen is, in a way, the cornerstone of Le Mans’ mayor’s policy, which is deeply rooted in sustainable development […] It’s also a way for the region and the ACO to anticipate and prepare for the phase-out of petroleum and to promote other sources of energy for the automotive industry.” Member of the city’s Tourism and Heritage Department.
The city can rely on the ACO, which has fully grasped the importance of developing a greener image. In recent years, the organization of auto races has been called into question by numerous environmental groups. It is important for the race’s organizing association to embrace innovation in order to address society’s new challenges. This shift is evident in the “greenwashing” (a marketing tactic that involves communicating with the general public using environmental arguments) employed by the ACO during the last edition of the race. A low-carbon ticket to reward spectators’ eco-friendly behavior, a CSR award for the least polluting team, and a presentation of the event’s carbon footprint—numerous initiatives have been developed to modernize the race’s image. “This will be the greenest edition in history,” stated Stéphane Darracq, CEO of the ACO, ahead of the 2022 edition.
This hydrogen-related project therefore benefits all stakeholders: the local governments involved, which can focus part of their communications on sustainable development and thus cultivate an environmentally friendly image in step with the times; It also benefits the ACO, which can use it to build its image as an ethical, eco-responsible, and innovative region. Finally, it benefits automakers, who can take advantage of the technological advances that this project will spur.
While the auto event may be viewed negatively from an environmental perspective, there is genuine innovation taking place around it. This project is an extremely important public policy tool for the city of Le Mans, which aims to highlight these urban dynamics.
Conclusion
Our analysis, based on governance—and more specifically on public policy instruments—has given us a better understanding of the strategies of the city of Le Mans. Our initial findings revealed the obstacles created by the 24 Hours of Le Mans event in terms of image and visibility for the region. The objective of the public policy instruments was to understand how the city and its region could use the event to highlight the rest of its regional assets. The results show that the city has numerous ways to use the event to counteract the negative aspects it generates. Regional marketing through regional brands, as well as sponsorship, innovation, and the creation of economic sectors, are all potential solutions to our initial problem. Today, it is difficult to compare the case of Le Mans with other sporting events or other regions. There is very little scientific literature on the negative effects that recurring sporting events can sometimes have on a single region. This study may help local governments facing the same challenges as the city of Le Mans to better understand their own situation. Admittedly, Le Mans is not a typical case, given the scale of its event. However, the methodology can serve as a source of inspiration. The idea is to identify its weaknesses and then turn them into strengths. Le Mans suffered from a negative image associated with the event. But the city could not, either, distance itself from the very event that sustains it.
The city has created numerous IAPs based on the event that was originally the source of one of its problems. Coordinating all these tools now allows it to partially fulfill its goal of using the event to promote the rest of its territory. The combination of these tools through a multitude of stakeholders is the very principle of governance that we defined prior to our findings. To change a city’s image, it is necessary for all stakeholders to get involved. The territorial brand brings together all of a city’s stakeholders under a single, meaningful dynamic. It creates a synergistic effect (Lascoumes 2011). The economic sector and technological innovation are also key factors, enabling the region to differentiate itself by developing specializations that generate economic benefits year-round. Thus, Le Mans shines thanks to its urban dynamism.
In recent months, environmental issues have become more than just a top priority, forcing us to reevaluate our lifestyles as quickly as possible. Through its event and its racetrack, Le Mans has the tools to address today’s challenges. We may wonder whether the city will succeed in seizing this opportunity to become one of the major cities of the future.
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