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France Opts for an Oval

PARIS () -- French Prime Minister Edouard Balladur selected an ultra-modern, oval-shaped design Wednesday for an 80,000 all-seater stadium on the outskirts of Paris to stage the 1998 World Cup final. Balladur's decision, announced by government spokesman Nicolas Sarkozy, cleared the way for building to start on the project at St. Denis, just north of Paris.


The prime minister selected the cheaper of two options from a shortlist drawn up by a special jury. The alternative was a rectangular design.

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