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Olympics stadium could turn into 'white elephant' after 2012
Matthew Beard, Sports News Correspondent01.07.09
The 2012 Olympic Stadium is in danger of becoming a "white elephant", a London Assembly committee claimed today.
The stadium in Stratford is to be shrunk from an 80,000-seat venue to a 25,000 capacity arena after the Games, when it will be available for educational, cultural and community use.
But the London Assembly's Economic Development, Culture, Sport and Tourism committee, in its assessment of progress towards fulfilling legacy promises of hosting the Games, has concerns over its long-term future.
It points out there is "no identified tenant to take over the management and maintenance of the stadium" after the Games. In its report - Toward a Lasting Legacy - published today, the committee argues: "Without a credible anchor tenant to bring regular foot-fall into the park there will be serious doubts as to the future financial viability of the venue and hence attractiveness of the park site to business investment.
"Lord Coe [London 2012 chairman] has consistently supported keeping the stadium with an athletic track.
"However, it is far from clear that such a sporting venue will be able to host events that regularly attract the hundreds and thousands of spectators required in order for it to be financially viable.
"Without decisive action the stadium is in danger of becoming a white elephant."
The report notes that Beijing's 2008 Olympics stadium now has no anchor tenant and relies on tourists as its main source of income.
Reader views (15)
Theme Park!! Great transport links, right next to the biggest shopping centre in the UK, loads of jobs, lots of local labour. Visitors from all over the place, great for tourism, great for London, great for business, great for the community.
Would make somebody a mint and no public money needed.
- Alison, East London
Jacqueline. The Olympic site is 5 miles from the Strand, Hampstead is 4 and a bit miles from the Strand - hardly much in it.
The whole point is that it's regenerating derelict wasteland.
- Catherine, London
this is sooooooooooooooo cool, the olympics are going to be soooooooooo amazing in the stadium! i wish i could be there, in the stadium, with all the spectators aswell!
- Georgia Horton, farham, england
>>Olympics stadium could turn into 'white elephant' after 2012
I think the word 'could' needs to be replaced with 'will'
- Adam, Harrow, UK
It was put too far away from London in a derilict wasteland. What do you expect it to be popular??
- Jacqueline, Hampstead, London
A boondoggle? The thought never entered my mind...
- Trunk, US
Or it could become another popular venue. Somebody will make a fortune from it. Let's talk about reasonable ticket prices not a lack of demand for mega live events in London.
- Bloke, London
then again, it COULD not.
When you can write an article based0 on facts, not possibilities, then publish it.
Useless speculation.
- Mek, London
does anyone truly believe in any form of openness or honesty let alone a use for this site under labour's overall (dishonest) 'mismanagement' of everything .........
- Olympian, London
Ah, still training the magician eh. Obviously still an apprentice, as the 'stadium could turn into a white elephant'. You should meet my wife, if, when I was a boy, she touched my leg, I would turn into a layby.
And BORIS wants a WORLD CUP!!! You lot down south must be seriously rich, or are you like the rest of us, only the politicians think we are.
- Alan, carlisle uk
I totally agree with the comment by R.F from Yorks. We have a right to know where our tax money has gone.
- E.S, London
Why not turn it into an asylum centre?My only concern is it wouldn't be big enough.
- Steve, London
No! You don't say!
- Steve, London
Gosh, Golly there is a surprise - most of London saw this comming as soon as it was announced that London had won (????).
I am afraid that these Olympics will cost us a shed load of money (in fact many sheds) and we will see very little in return.
- Jeremy E, Home Counties
Let Coe and his cohorts pay for the upkeep of it after 2012. It was, after all, they who wanted to host the games in London against the wishes of tax payers. There was a report in the press last Friday that £100 MILLION has gone missing from the olympic purse but that the results of an investigation by KPMG forensic accountants would not be made public. As it is tax payers money that is unaccounted for we demand to know if the auditors find any evidence of irregularities in their acounting practices. We must not allow the committee to withhold any evidence of wrongdoing.
- R.F., Yorks, UK
