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Spurs and West Ham bid for new homes as 2012 venues up for grabs
By Sportsmail Reporter
Last updated at 12:09 PM on 05th September 2008
London 2012 chiefs were plunged into a battle over the legacy of the two key Olympic venues.
They are facing a crisis after it emerged that the £525million Olympic stadium may be demolished to build a new venue for a Premier League football club - with Tottenham widely-touted as an interested party.
Meanwhile, the future of the £1billion athletes' village was put into further doubt by the resignation of two key figures from its developer Lend Lease.
Emergency plans for a purpose-built football stadium in the Olympic Park are being drawn up amid concerns that the venue will otherwise become a white elephant.
The London Development Agency may ditch the original plan to convert the 80,000-capacity stadium to an athletics venue holding 25,000 people.
Planners for Mayor Boris Johnson believe it could be cheaper in the long run to build a new stadium in partnership with a football club rather than subsidise its use as a predominantly athletics venue.
That could pave the way for West Ham who are sceptical about moving to a former Parcelforce depot site suggested by the LDA.
West Ham's initial talks with 2012 chiefs about a move to the Olympic stadium broke down two years ago over disagreement about the cost of converting the venue after the Games.
Tottenham Hotspur currently plan to redevelop their own White Hart Lane stadium to boost capacity but sources say they would not rule out a move to Stratford if the price was right.
Mr Johnson is become increasingly concerned that no 'anchor tenant' has come forward to occupy the venue.
Responsibility for making it pay its way has been given to Tom Russell, the LDA director of Olympic legacy, and the man who was a key figure in the building of Manchester City's Eastlands stadium when he was at Manchester City Council.
The issue will be the first major matter dealt with by Johnson's legacy advisory board which is to be launched later this month.
Progress on the £1billion athletes' village was plunged into further doubt this week when Nigel Hugill announced he was resigning as chairman of Lend Lease.
Development director Robin Butler is also going. The troubled Australian firm has struggled to raise its £450 million stake in the project with a deal not expected until later this year.
However, the planners are not looking to change the existing design for the 80,000-seat Olympic Stadium, and have also been told that whatever is there afterwards must have the capability to stage major athletics events.
An LDA spokesperson said: 'The LDA has left no stone unturned in examining all legacy options for the Olympic venues and is still looking at a range of potential sporting uses including athletics, football and rugby for the Olympic stadium.'
Mr Johnson's Olympics watchdog David Ross has warned that the 2012 stadium's cost now is £525million and there would have to be significant private investment into building a completely new stadium after the Games.
London 2012 chiefs have also insisted that having an athletics facility after the Games is non-negotiable because that was one of the promises made to the IOC in the bid.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1052688/Spurs-West-Ham-bid-new-homes-2012-venues-grabs.html
By Sportsmail Reporter
Last updated at 12:09 PM on 05th September 2008
London 2012 chiefs were plunged into a battle over the legacy of the two key Olympic venues.
They are facing a crisis after it emerged that the £525million Olympic stadium may be demolished to build a new venue for a Premier League football club - with Tottenham widely-touted as an interested party.
Meanwhile, the future of the £1billion athletes' village was put into further doubt by the resignation of two key figures from its developer Lend Lease.
Emergency plans for a purpose-built football stadium in the Olympic Park are being drawn up amid concerns that the venue will otherwise become a white elephant.
The London Development Agency may ditch the original plan to convert the 80,000-capacity stadium to an athletics venue holding 25,000 people.
Planners for Mayor Boris Johnson believe it could be cheaper in the long run to build a new stadium in partnership with a football club rather than subsidise its use as a predominantly athletics venue.
That could pave the way for West Ham who are sceptical about moving to a former Parcelforce depot site suggested by the LDA.
West Ham's initial talks with 2012 chiefs about a move to the Olympic stadium broke down two years ago over disagreement about the cost of converting the venue after the Games.
Tottenham Hotspur currently plan to redevelop their own White Hart Lane stadium to boost capacity but sources say they would not rule out a move to Stratford if the price was right.
Mr Johnson is become increasingly concerned that no 'anchor tenant' has come forward to occupy the venue.
Responsibility for making it pay its way has been given to Tom Russell, the LDA director of Olympic legacy, and the man who was a key figure in the building of Manchester City's Eastlands stadium when he was at Manchester City Council.
The issue will be the first major matter dealt with by Johnson's legacy advisory board which is to be launched later this month.
Progress on the £1billion athletes' village was plunged into further doubt this week when Nigel Hugill announced he was resigning as chairman of Lend Lease.
Development director Robin Butler is also going. The troubled Australian firm has struggled to raise its £450 million stake in the project with a deal not expected until later this year.
However, the planners are not looking to change the existing design for the 80,000-seat Olympic Stadium, and have also been told that whatever is there afterwards must have the capability to stage major athletics events.
An LDA spokesperson said: 'The LDA has left no stone unturned in examining all legacy options for the Olympic venues and is still looking at a range of potential sporting uses including athletics, football and rugby for the Olympic stadium.'
Mr Johnson's Olympics watchdog David Ross has warned that the 2012 stadium's cost now is £525million and there would have to be significant private investment into building a completely new stadium after the Games.
London 2012 chiefs have also insisted that having an athletics facility after the Games is non-negotiable because that was one of the promises made to the IOC in the bid.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1052688/Spurs-West-Ham-bid-new-homes-2012-venues-grabs.html
ray: for this to be true.
