London Olympic Stadium Redevelopment | Stratford | 25-80,000 Capacity | Proposed

[Minnetonka]

Originally Posted by DarJoLe

Crossrail need it is as a holding space.

Thanks for confirming that .. It did seem strange to me that it was being 'removed' so soon.

In addition, DarJoLe, I have been lurking on these Boards for a number of years, and have been particularly interested in London 2012, and have always found your posts to be very Authoritative and Informed.

[DarJoLe]

Well, I followed the project since the beginning, and was involved with it along the way. Can't wait until the Park is open again next year.

[RobH]

Not hearing great things about how this apparently more transparent stadium tender process is being handled.

I fully expect it to be as messy as the last one, even after the apparently imminent announcement, and I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if it once again ends up in the courts.

[DarJoLe]

Surely it's getting to point now where it would have been cheaper to follow through with the original intentions of the legacy?

[cnapan]

Originally Posted by AUTOTHRILL

Excellent point well made- who cares if its predictable, if its beautiful does it matter?

I'd argue that the extra cost of building a public facility which is attractive is, in the long run, far better for the environment, for people and for our pockets.

-A building which lasts longer is an environmental building.

-A building which doesn't need to be replaced every thirty years is a cost-saving building.

-A building which people actually are fond of and develops a sense of place helps prevent the malaise known as 'shithole depression' - i.e. the chronic set of societal problems faced by people surrounded by unabated monotonous ugliness in their lives.

[Gavrosh]

Originally Posted by DarJoLe

Surely it's getting to point now where it would have been cheaper to follow through with the original intentions of the legacy?

Well lets see....the original plan was 40 million conversion plus running costs of 2 million per year? Take a truncated life-cycle of 30 years and that adds up (ignoring inflation for now) at 102 million. Compare that to a 200 million conversion (15 million paid for by West Ham if the papers are to be believed) which delivers a net running profit to the taxpayer (again, assumed from leaks) of 4 million per year = 61 million. Take that out to the full 99 years and the numbers stack up at a £240 million loss without conversion and a £215 million profit with (in truth inflation will make the two numbers somewhat closer but its fairly clear nonetheless). So from a purely financial aspect it makes sense to convert. From a social aspect it is of course far more lucrative than that, in that multiples more visitors to the stadium will help the local economy no end. In fact, so obvious are the advantages of having an anchor tenant regularly using the stadium that it seems slightly odd that that wasn't factored in in the first place, wouldn't you say?

[cnapan]

Originally Posted by Gavrosh

In fact, so obvious are the advantages of having an anchor tenant regularly using the stadium that it seems slightly odd that that wasn't factored in in the first place, wouldn't you say?

Good point...

[RMB2007]

West Ham United are the first ranked bidder for the Olympic Stadium

Today the London Legacy Development Corporation’s Board unanimously agreed that West Ham United’s bid for a concession to play at the Olympic Stadium should be ranked highest of the bids received, and that negotiations should be held with the club on final commercial terms for them to move to the stadium.

The Legacy Corporation’s Board determined that any agreement with West Ham United should be conditional on resolution of a number of issues including: the final specification for adaptations to the stadium and associated funding; securing planning permission; obtaining appropriate national governing body approvals; and the finalisation of commercial terms, including a mechanism to protect the taxpayers’ investment in the stadium were the value of the club to increase significantly through a change in location.

If a football use can be agreed the stadium would be reconfigured to provide a retractable/moveable seating solution so there could be a quick change over between athletics and football use.

The Legacy Corporation recognises that West Ham and other parties may not be able to meet the necessary conditions, so is progressing a detailed design for a non-football option. This would allow the stadium to be brought back into use as soon as possible.

The Legacy Corporation will now procure a stadium operator to manage the venue, coordinate community and sporting use, and to bring in various concerts and events whichever option is eventually pursued. It will also start procurement of a contractor to undertake agreed adaptations and is exploring the feasibility of opening the stadium for events in summer 2013 before the adaptation works get underway.

Under all options the stadium will remain a publicly owned asset. It has already been chosen to host the 2017 IAAF World Athletics Championships. The Legacy Corporation Board also approved a deal between iCITY – the preferred bidder for the long term lease of the Broadcast Centre – and BT to become the anchor tenant of the Broadcast Centre, taking 73,000 square feet to house its new BT Sport channels.The 10-year lease will see BT refit the space to create a production centre including TV studios, a control centre, 20 edit suites and an audience holding area. BT will start building works in February 2013 to convert the venue ahead of the launch of BT Sport in summer 2013. The operation is expected to generate around 250 jobs as part of iCITY, which plans to turn the buildings into a world-leading technology cluster that could create around 4,000 jobs.The Board also approved other areas of progress in programming the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park with events and attractions. They included plans for a weekend-long event to mark the phased opening of Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park on 27 July, 2013 – exactly one year after the opening ceremony of the Games, and the launch of an Arts and Culture Strategy in spring 2013 to develop the Park’s cultural offer.

http://www.londonlegacy.co.uk/west-h...ympic-stadium/

[RMB2007]

West Ham given ultimatum over Olympic Stadium deal

West Ham's owners must agree to share the profits from any future sale of the Premier League club if they are to be granted the right to move into the Olympic Stadium, the BBC has learned.

The Hammers will be announced on Wednesday as the number one choice to become the stadium's main tenant.

But Mayor of London Boris Johnson says West Ham's market value would be increased significantly by winning the 99-year lease and therefore any deal rests on club owners David Sullivan and David Gold meeting the key condition.

With so much public money invested in the stadium - first to build it and now to convert it for top-flight football - Johnson is concerned that the taxpayer could be left out of pocket if the duo later decided to sell the club on.

Adding retractable seating and fully extending the roof on the venue - now seen as an iconic venue following London's successful staging of the 2012 Games - will cost between £130m and £150m, on top of the £429m it cost to build the stadium for the Games.

The vast majority of that conversion money will come from a mix of public funding, including a £40m loan from Newham Council, the local authority.

For some time, there has been concern over a shortfall in the funding, especially with West Ham only willing to commit around £15m, but sources tell me that is now less of a problem.

Instead, the major stumbling block is the question of how to divide up the profits from any future sale of the club.

Sullivan and Gold are thought to have spent around £50m in acquiring a 50% controlling stake in West Ham in January 2010. They have also covered the club's vast debts, estimated to be around £70m.

With the Premier League's domestic TV rights set to increase by 60% from next season, West Ham could become a very attractive acquisition if they can retain top-flight status and secure a long-term future at the Olympic Stadium.

They would also raise money from the sale of their current ground, Upton Park.

The board of the London Legacy Development Corporation, chaired by Johnson, will meet on Wednesday to rank the four organisations who have submitted bids to use the stadium. In addition to West Ham, League One side Leyton Orient, UCFB College of Football Business and a consortium linked to Formula 1 have all tabled offers.

West Ham, currently lying eighth in the Premier League table in their first season back in the top flight, will be ranked first - another significant step on the road to securing a lasting legacy for the stadium - but it could be some months before a deal is finally completed.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/olympics/20603585

[Gavrosh]

Wow, interesting idea. I suggest we name this new concept 'Capital Gains Tax'.

[spindrift]

It's a shame, in a way Upton Park does have a community feel with working mens' clubs close to the ground that sell cheap beer and pies on match days-my cousins go there. They'll all disappear, I guess.

[Gavrosh]

Originally Posted by spindrift

It's a shame, in a way Upton Park does have a community feel with working mens' clubs close to the ground that sell cheap beer and pies on match days-my cousins go there. They'll all disappear, I guess.

You mean East Ham Working Men's Club? There's still enough locals to keep that going, and they do things like white collar boxing to bring ijn the crowds as well.

The pubs are another matter. The Duke, Boleyn Queens, Central, Denmark Arms etc all look pretty doomed.

The upside is that loads of derelict or residentially converted pubs around Stratford will miraculously become actual pubs again.

[spindrift]

There is only the one pub next to Westfield, otherwise it's the ones down on Stratford Highway, The Goose and the one run by the old football player, The Edward The Fifth? There's a Wetherspoons round the corner but it's pretty grim. More pubs would be great but they're mostly converted into flats by now.

[Gavrosh]

Here's three straight off of the bat for any would-be developer

http://deadpubs.co.uk/LondonPubs/Bow/LordNapier.shtml


http://www.closedpubs.co.uk/london/e...readeagle.html


http://pubshistory.com/LondonPubs/Bo...ayTavern.shtml

[Mr_Andersonn]

Green light for retractable seating


Filed: Wednesday, 12th December 2012
By: Staff Writer


The Olympic Stadium will feature four stands of retractable seating around the pitch - should West Ham United agree to move to Stratford.

Fans attending an emergency Supporters' Advisory Board meeting at the Boleyn Ground this evening were shown the first ever artists' impression of how the new stadium will look.

And KUMB.com can reveal that this will include fully retractable seating that brings all four stands in the lower tier - which will replace the existing banks of seats - to within a few metres of the playing area.

The new images, which are set to be released to the public in the new year indicated how the new roof, that will cover the entire seating area, will look. Those present at the three-hour meeting were also shown detailed plans of how the rest of the stadium would take shape following its £200million refit.

Unfortunately we are unable to bring you any further details of the stadium or the Club's plans as all members of the SAB were asked to sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) upon entering the meeting room.

However a show of hands requested by co-Chairman David Gold - who gave a short yet passionate speech backing the move - indicated that the vast majority of fans present appeared to support the club's plans for the Olympic Stadium.

Karren Brady, who chaired the meeting also confirmed that a supporters' poll would take place within the next few weeks - although details of exactly what that will entail remain unconfirmed at present.

Former Hammer Tony Cottee also appeared briefly to back the Club's plans.

Read more at http://kumb.com/story.php?id=126606#t5ElzQwHTLY8ra0G.99

[RMB2007]

LONDON TO HOST 2017 IPC WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

After staging one of the best and most-talked about Paralympic Games in history this summer, London was announced as the host city of the 2017 IPC Athletics World Championships today.

The Championships will be held in July 2017 at the Olympic Stadium, just a month before the same venue plays host to the IAAF World Athletics Championships. London will become the first city to host the two Championships side-by-side, recreating the summer of sport which transformed the British capital in the summer of 2012.

The Greater London Authority will organise the Championships, partnering with UK Athletics, ParalympicsGB, the London Borough of Newham, the London Legacy Development Corporation and the University of East London.

During the bid process, London Mayor Boris Johnson used the success of London 2012 to argue for the return of international Paralympic competition to the British capital, which receives 26 million overnight visitors annually.

http://www.londonlegacy.co.uk/london...championships/

[gorgu]

Originally Posted by RMB2007

http://www.londonlegacy.co.uk/london...championships/

Wonderful news and well deserved too!!

[Jamandell (d69)]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-20891527

Olympic stadium 'to host rock concerts by July'

London's Olympic Stadium is set to be re-opened in July with a series of rock concerts, BBC London has learned.

Concert promoters were impressed by the live music at the closing ceremonies of the Olympics and Paralympics.

Final contracts are yet to be signed but the plan is for some concerts traditionally held at Hyde Park to head east.

Dennis Hone, chief executive of the London Legacy Development Corporation, said it was an "exciting" opportunity.

He said: "The exciting thing for us is that we have the opportunity to put on some major events in the park - some music events and festivals and an anniversary weekend on 27 and 28 July.

"We hope to announce the content in the coming weeks."

Hyde Park has staged rock concerts for decades but complaints about noise levels have almost doubled since 2008.

Last year Westminster Council took a decision to reduce the number of concerts every year from 13 to nine.

If we can't get a deal with West Ham, we will make sure we can get a viable and thriving entity going forward”

The council also cut the number of people who could attend events from 80,000 to 65,000 and, in some cases, to 50,000.

A spokesman for The Royal Parks confirmed that a total of eight concerts would still take place at Hyde Park this year.

The Olympic Stadium is expected to become a major rival to London's other major concert venues - Wembley and the 02 Arena.

The area around the stadium in the south of the park with the Aquatic Centre and Orbit Tower will not be opened fully to the public until spring 2014 but the north of the park, with the Handball Arena, waterways and parklands, will be made available to residents permanently this summer.

The indoor Handball Arena, which has been renamed the Copper Box, will be used for recreational sport such as five-a-side football and badminton as well as staging professional sports such as boxing and some indoor concerts.

Mr Hone is currently negotiating a deal for West Ham to move into the stadium, probably for the 2016-17 season after a new system of retractable seats has been fitted.

But the London Legacy Development Corporation and the Premier League club are still a long way from reaching agreement on the financial aspects of the deal because legacy chiefs want a share of any profits if West Ham's owners sell the club after moving into the stadium.

Mr Hone said he was still working hard on reaching agreement with West Ham but the corporation is exploring ways of making the stadium pay its way without football.

"The stadium is the sort of venue people want to come to. Who knows what other sports we can get in.

"If we can't get a deal with West Ham, we will make sure we can get a viable and thriving entity going forward."

A final decision on West Ham's bid to move into the stadium is expected by the end of March.

[RMB2007]

Hmmm, makes you wonder who'll end up losing out the most if the deal with West Ham doesn't happen.

[Stratford]

The stadium looks to be a better choice for concerts then the O2 or Wembley since it is far better connected and close to Westfield, a shopping centre which attracts a similar audience to those who attend concerts.