So LLDC have made West Ham the preferred tenants alongside UK Athletics. Well that is fine in my book & I hope that all parties do not end up regretting the new arrangement. West Ham certainly have a mountainous task to not only ensure they can fill the OS in a financially viable manner, but also to ensure they are resident in the PL when the open the stadium for business in 2016................................
However I would like to address possibly the main reason why this farcical situation has ended up costing the tax payer in the region of £600m.
The TRUTH of the matter is that it was never intended for the Olympic Stadium to be retained for future use!!!!!!!!!!!
The original concept was that the ODA & LOCOG were looking to build a modular stadium, which could be easily dismantled and the key parts sold off.
It was initially thought that Brazil were going to buy the modular sections to save them over £100m on the cost of building a complete new stadium from scratch. With the OS, they would vastly reduce their civil engineering costs and save time too!
However Brazil then decided in 2010 that they would prefer to build their own Olympic Stadium, this then left the organising powers with a major dilemma. What is going to happen to the OS?? The original legacy was recouping some of the costs from Brazil!
It was never perceived that the OS would be used again once the Olympics finished & certainly not by a PL Club.
That is why the shape & configuration of the OS is completely wrong for a football stadium. It was designed with only one thing in mind, athletics & field events. Which is why Spurs original plan was to demolish the stadium & start from scratch.
And there you have it, designed by clever people without an ounce of common sense or forethought between them! No vision means we are left with this folly costing the taxpayer hundreds of millions & no return on investment until most of us are long gone from this planet!
It is not West Ham's fault either, they have just taken advantage of others mistake's to hopefully better themselves. Lets hope it does not turn out to be their folly too!!
London2012 & How they Messed up!!!
posted on 26/3/13
Can I say I've been saying 54, 000 since November!
itk
posted on 26/3/13
Dramatic...............................now why did I not see your reports, could have saved me all this grief?
posted on 26/3/13
Friend on the West Ham supporters advisory board, they had a meeting the day after we were named preferential bidders last year, they had to sign confidentiality agreements and hand in mobile phones before hand. I mentioned it on here a couple of times. I was surprised it wasn't leaked and reported in the press tbh.
posted on 26/3/13
Dramatic: Yes, you did say 54k before any of us here. I, like most people, thought it was going to be 60k. Friday was the day when it was made public that it would be 54k.
posted on 11/6/13
25/3/13
myhammers once again you & muffinboy choose to be totally myopic & focus on one aspect which has already been dealt with early, indeed you seem to totally ignore the section of the BBC report that said:Under conversion plans, the roof will be extended and the seating capacity reduced from 80,000 to between 54,000 and 60,000, with a retractable system allowing the venue to be converted from a football stadium to an athletics arena within days.
So answer this? Why is claiming 60,000 any different than claiming 54,000 when both figures are quoted.
Because your arguments are so shallow, you have to keep repeating one thing in the hope that people finally believe you!
________________________________________
26/3/13
So myhammers, list ALL of your sources...................initially ALL news outlets stated 60,000 & the BBC changed it to between 54-60,000.
Now if you are basing your argument entirely on the fact I related to one report which I believed to be factual, then it is a very weak argument.
As for my knowledge of the OS, it comes mainly from 1) The fact I used to work for the Olympic Delivery Authority (they were responsible for awarding & managing all the construction contracts for London2012) and through personal dealings with All five of the Olympic Boroughs as part of my responsibilities. A key part of these was cost projections & also how the Boroughs could utilise their supply chains more effectively.
2) I have been involved in the Olympic procurement process closely & this has given me a greater insight into where the money actually goes.
3) I have had the added advantage of being in the OS both during construction & post construction during the Games. I do have a good working knowledge of the stadium. It was always intended after Brazil pulled out for the stadium to be reduced to 60,000 capacity.
The decision to possibly make it 54,000 only came about in the past few weeks, when the logistics re corporate boxes & retractable seats showed that seating might have to be less than previously thought.
In case you did not know, there are no corporate boxes, internal toilets or catering facilities within the stadium carcass itself. All catering & toilet facilities are externally hosted in a membrane that is on the outside of the stadium. These need to be moved and also corporate boxes included in the infrastructure.
From the weekend most sources are quoting 54,000., you are hanging your whole argument on one piece of information on this? The BBC, which is rated as the foremost source of news WORLDWIDE quoted 54-60,000, why would I not believe them?
posted on 11/6/13
myhammers: you posted this!
posted on 26/3/13
Dramatic: Yes, you did say 54k before any of us here. I, like most people, thought it was going to be 60k. Friday was the day when it was made public that it would be 54k.
posted on 11/6/13
But you have some inside knowledge than rest of us. No?
posted on 11/6/13
muffinboy............................................read my post just above!
My knowledge base is there for all to see!
posted on 11/6/13
Yes, it appeared as clear as crystal when you said you can't insure football players.
posted on 11/6/13
oh dear..............................like a rabid dog muffinboy. Change the record or has your one brain cell decide to freeze? Time to reboot!!