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Olympic Stadium (London)
Encyclopedia
The London
Olympic Stadium will be the centrepiece of the 2012 Summer Olympics
and Paralympics
. The stadium is located at Marshgate Lane in Stratford
in the Lower Lea Valley
and has capacity for the Games of approximately 80,000 making it temporarily the third largest stadium in Britain behind Wembley Stadium
and Twickenham Stadium
. Land preparation for the stadium began in mid 2007, with the official construction start date on 22 May 2008, although piling works for the foundation unofficially began four weeks ahead of that date. Construction ended on 29 March 2011. The Stadium will host the 2017 World Championships in Athletics
.
As a "unique 80,000 seat stadium, it will be the centrepiece for the 2012 Games, hosting the opening and closing ceremonies and the athletics events, converting down to a 60,000 seat permanent stadium after the Games.
As of June 2009, the stadium's track and field arena has been excavated out of the soft clay found on the site, around which permanent seating for 25,000 has been assembled, using concrete "rakers". The natural slope of the land is incorporated into the design, with warm-up and changing areas being dug into a semi basement position at the lower end. A demountable lightweight steel and concrete upper tier has been built up from this “bowl” to accommodate a further 55,000 spectators, and is nearing completion.
suggest that rather than a continuous strip, the wrap will consist of 2.5 m wide fabric panels, twisted at 90 degree angles to allow entry to the stadium at the bottom of the structure, and held in place with tensioned cables. It has since been reported in the Guardian newspaper that a member of the stadium design team, Rod Sheard, would prefer the wrap to take the form of a continuous video screen, although no costing for this has been given. On 4 August 2011 was announced that Dow Chemical Company
would fund a wrap for the stadium, in return for being able to advertise on the wrap until 26 June 2012, at which point all advertising and logos would be removed. The wrap wil be made from polyester and polyethylene, be printed using UV curable links and would encircle the stadium. It is expected to be installed around the stadium in early 2012.
(which rejoins the Navigation below Old Ford Lock
), the City Mill River, and the Old Pudding Mill River; parts of the Bow Back Rivers
. Another branch of this system, St Thomas' Creek, 200 metres to the south, completes an "island" surrounded by water. Two hundred metres to the east is the Waterworks River; on the eastern bank will be the Aquatics Centre
.
This "island" site for the stadium lies at the southern end of the Olympic Park
. The existing waterways will be modified to surround the stadium, and access will be via several footbridges positioned around the building's perimeter.
LOCOG publications and media reports have begun to refer to the site as Stadium Island due to the location and design—a name that may potentially define the site in years to come.
; HOK Sport + Venue + Event, now known as Populous; and Buro Happold
) to start negotiations with, in hope to find the contractor fulfilling the eventual design and build contract of the new Olympic Stadium.
The ODA
received international and national interest to prequalify for the design and construction tender but Team Stadium was the only consortium to meet all prequalification criteria. The consortium was also the team who delivered the locally acclaimed new Emirates Stadium
, home of Arsenal F.C.
Team Stadium members have extensive experience in the design and build of sports venues, including the Olympic Stadium for the 2000 Sydney Games
.
On October 11, 2011 Britain's Olympics minister Hugh Robertson confirmed the collapse of the Olympic Park Legacy Company's agreement with West Ham to take over the stadium after the games. The OPLC announced that negotiations with West Ham, unveiled as the preferred stadium bidder in February 2011, had ended because of growing concerns over delays caused by the ongoing legal dispute with rival club Tottenham Hotspur. West Ham had not signed any contracts, allowing the OPLC to abandon talks with the club. The stadium, which cost an estimated $760 million, will now remain in public ownership and leased out to an anchor tenant following a new tender process.
".
The Olympic Stadium design was promoted as example of "sustainable development", but some architecture critics have questioned both its aesthetic value and suitability as a national icon - especially when compared to Beijing National Stadium
. For example, Ellis Woodman (Building Design
s architecture critic) said of the design:
"The principle of it being dismountable is most welcome... it demonstrates an obvious interest in establishing an economy of means and as such is the antithesis of the 2008 Olympic stadium in Beijing. But while that's an achievement, it's not an architectural achievement. In design terms what we're looking at is pretty underwhelming."
He went on to criticise the procurement and design processes – stating of the latter that it should have been subject to an architectural competition.
This view was echoed by Tom Dyckhoff, The Times
s architecture critic, who described the design as "tragically underwhelming" and commented that the "architecture of the 2008 and 2012 Olympics will, in years to come, be seen by historians as a "cunning indicator of the decline of the West
and the rise of the East".
Amanda Baillieu (Building Design magazine) challenges the designer's claims that the stadium is environmentally sustainable and good value for money. Instead it is asserted that the reality will be the opposite. In particular, she claims that:
The cost of £537 Million compared to cost of 1908 Olympics Stadium £60,000 (£5,629,148.93 adjusted with up to 2010 inflation rate).
and Anschutz Entertainment Group
(AEG), with the second bid from West Ham United F.C.
and Newham Council. The former bid would maintain the 80,000 capacity, while the latter would reduce it to 60,000.
Bid 1: AEG & Tottenham Hotspur
These joint bidders had originally expressed individual interest in the venue but submitted a joint bid to take over. AEG is the company that redeveloped the loss making Millennium Dome
exhibition venue in South East London into the profitable music venue The O2
. When the formal bidding process opened, little was known of AEG's plans for the Olympic Stadium, but they were described as among the front-runners of interested parties, along with West Ham. On 26 July 2010, it was rumoured that Tottenham might be interested in taking over the Olympic Stadium post-Games. The club have plans to build a new stadium adjacent to their current home, but the capacity could not reach that of the Olympic Stadium, making a move attractive to the club.
Bid 2: West Ham United & Newham Council
Following the 2010 takeover by David Gold and David Sullivan
, the new owners of West Ham expressed their desire to make the Olympic Stadium as the club's new home. With Boris Johnson expressing his desire for a football team to take over the stadium after the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics this seemed the most likely option. At the opening of the formal bid process, West Ham were considered favourites once they reversed from their initial opposition to keeping the running track as well as planning a £100m conversion to create a 60,000 capacity venue, which would also host international football, international athletics, as well as Essex County Cricket Club
, international Twenty20
cricket matches, NFL
matches and Live Nation
events.
Originally expressed interest:
The legacy plan for the stadium originally involved its conversion into a 25,000 to 30,000 seat athletics stadium with a sports training, science and medicine centre following the 2012 Paralympics. Media reports however have suggested that several potential tenants were interested in moving to the Olympic Stadium after the Games, among them the England and Wales Cricket Board
, along with several London cricket, football and rugby clubs:
Despite several rounds of negotiations with potential tenants, LOCOG has elected to adhere to its bid commitment to provide a legacy for athletics at the stadium, with capacity reduced to a more financially-viable 25,000. However, the newly-elected Mayor of London, Boris Johnson
, has stated that all parties need to look carefully at the legacy plans for the stadium and has not ruled out use by either a professional football or rugby team. This in mind, the contract for building the stadium clearly stated that it must stay as a usable athletics track available for competition and training at any time.
After receiving and pre-screening over 100 expressions of interest, the formal bidding process of selecting the post-Olympics user of the stadium opened on 18 August 2010. It was to run until 30 September, after which the OPLC would draw up a shortlist, with a view to selecting a tenant by the end of the financial year, by March 31. The winning bidder is required to support the regeneration of the area, and retain the stadium as a "distinctive physical symbol".
.
calling the decision to grant a review "a great day for the little man." It has been reported that if the judicial review orders a re-run of the bidding process then a clause will be inserted stipulating that the winning bidder must retain a running track within the stadium itself.
The Olympic Legacy Company announced on 5 July 2011 that an independent review into the awarding of the Olympic Park Stadium to West Ham United was to be carried out following the discovery on 30 June 2011 that an employee, Dionne Knight, had been engaged by West Ham to carry out consultancy work relating to the Olympic Stadium without permission of the OPLC. Ms Knight, had already declared to the OPLC that she was in a personal relationship with a director of West Ham and, was suspended whilst a possible conflict of interest was investigated. On 22 August 2011, the independent investigation ruled that the process was not compromised and thus the bid process will not be reopened.
On 11 October 2011, the deal to sell the stadium to West Ham collapsed. West Ham immediately announced plans to become tenants of the stadium. On 18 October Leyton Orient
submitted an application to the Football League for permission for a move to the stadium. Chairman Barry Hearn said, "We are asking for a 25,000-seat stadium and we want to see if we can get around the athletics track. It has to stay, we know that. But can we build up, if not down, and see if it’s possible to get it covered while we play?".
using its Olympic Stadium. It went up against Beijing's Olympic Stadium
and the Polish city of Chorzow
. However the stadium had to pull out of the running of hosting the championships due to the uncertainty of the stadium, due to the timing of the announcement of who would operate the stadium after the Olympics, thus gifting Beijing the championships. With the issues resolved over the stadium's future, London again used the stadium to bid for the 2017 World Athletics Championships
. The bid was made official in August with Lord Coe personally submitting the bid a few weeks later at the 2011 World Athletic Championships
in Degeu. London's Mayor Boris Johnson
and the British government have backed the bid. Following Tottenham winning the right to a review on 18 October 2011, just three weeks before the IAAF vote on the 2017 championships host, Lord Coe, on 25 August 2011 stated that the bid would be unaffected by the legal battle. With, UK Athletics
chairman, Ed Warner adding "Whatever the outcome of that process there is going to be a track in that stadium and that's what matters and that's the commitment we're making to the IAAF." On 11 November 2011, the IAAF officially awarded the 2017 World Championships to London.
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
Olympic Stadium will be the centrepiece of the 2012 Summer Olympics
2012 Summer Olympics
The 2012 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the "London 2012 Olympic Games", are scheduled to take place in London, England, United Kingdom from 27 July to 12 August 2012...
and Paralympics
2012 Summer Paralympics
The 2012 Summer Paralympic Games will be the fourteenth Paralympics and will take place between 29 August and 9 September 2012. The Games will be held in London, United Kingdom after the city was successful with its bid for the Paralympics and Summer Olympic Games.Even though 2012 will be London's...
. The stadium is located at Marshgate Lane in Stratford
Stratford, London
Stratford is a place in the London Borough of Newham, England. It is located east northeast of Charing Cross and is one of the major centres identified in the London Plan. It was historically an agrarian settlement in the ancient parish of West Ham, which transformed into an industrial suburb...
in the Lower Lea Valley
Lower Lea Valley
The Lower Lea Valley is the southern end of the Lea Valley, surrounding the River Lea , which runs along the boundary of the London Borough of Tower Hamlets on its western bank and the London Boroughs of Waltham Forest and Newham on its eastern bank, into the River Thames. The river forms the...
and has capacity for the Games of approximately 80,000 making it temporarily the third largest stadium in Britain behind Wembley Stadium
Wembley Stadium
The original Wembley Stadium, officially known as the Empire Stadium, was a football stadium in Wembley, a suburb of north-west London, standing on the site now occupied by the new Wembley Stadium that opened in 2007...
and Twickenham Stadium
Twickenham Stadium
Twickenham Stadium is a stadium located in Twickenham, in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. It is the largest rugby union stadium in the United Kingdom and has recently been enlarged to seat 82,000...
. Land preparation for the stadium began in mid 2007, with the official construction start date on 22 May 2008, although piling works for the foundation unofficially began four weeks ahead of that date. Construction ended on 29 March 2011. The Stadium will host the 2017 World Championships in Athletics
2017 World Championships in Athletics
The 16th World Championships in Athletics are scheduled to be held in 2017 in London, United Kingdom. London were officially awarded the Championships by the IAAF, in Monaco on 11 November 2011.-Bidding process:...
.
Design and construction status
The stadium design was launched on 7 November 2007. The architect, Populous, is an architectural firm specializing in the design of sports facilities and convention centres, as well as planning of major special events.As a "unique 80,000 seat stadium, it will be the centrepiece for the 2012 Games, hosting the opening and closing ceremonies and the athletics events, converting down to a 60,000 seat permanent stadium after the Games.
As of June 2009, the stadium's track and field arena has been excavated out of the soft clay found on the site, around which permanent seating for 25,000 has been assembled, using concrete "rakers". The natural slope of the land is incorporated into the design, with warm-up and changing areas being dug into a semi basement position at the lower end. A demountable lightweight steel and concrete upper tier has been built up from this “bowl” to accommodate a further 55,000 spectators, and is nearing completion.
Exterior Wrap
Plastic, or perhaps an environmentally sustainable fabric, such as hemp, was initially expected to be wrapped around the stadium exterior and imprinted with a mural type design. The wrap would have been 20 metres (66 ft) high and would have encircled the 900 metres (984.3 yd) circumference of the stadium. Both hemp and the continuous wrapping were ruled out. The latest designs submitted for approval to the Olympic Delivery AuthorityOlympic Delivery Authority
The Olympic Delivery Authority is the statutory corporation responsible for ensuring delivery of venues, infrastructure and legacy for the 2012 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games in London...
suggest that rather than a continuous strip, the wrap will consist of 2.5 m wide fabric panels, twisted at 90 degree angles to allow entry to the stadium at the bottom of the structure, and held in place with tensioned cables. It has since been reported in the Guardian newspaper that a member of the stadium design team, Rod Sheard, would prefer the wrap to take the form of a continuous video screen, although no costing for this has been given. On 4 August 2011 was announced that Dow Chemical Company
Dow Chemical Company
The Dow Chemical Company is a multinational corporation headquartered in Midland, Michigan, United States. As of 2007, it is the second largest chemical manufacturer in the world by revenue and as of February 2009, the third-largest chemical company in the world by market capitalization .Dow...
would fund a wrap for the stadium, in return for being able to advertise on the wrap until 26 June 2012, at which point all advertising and logos would be removed. The wrap wil be made from polyester and polyethylene, be printed using UV curable links and would encircle the stadium. It is expected to be installed around the stadium in early 2012.
Spectator services
There will also be no food outlets inside the 80,000-seat arena, which reduces the need for kitchens and higher levels of fire protection associated with cooking. Instead, architects have planned party concourses outside the stadium inspired by the successful fan zones at the 2006 World Cup in Germany, where spectators gathered to eat and drink and watch the action on big screens. It has also been suggested that toilet areas known as "pods" could be created from recycled shipping containers with the water and sewage management self contained within, reducing the need for costly plumbing and facilitating the dismantling of the structure once in legacy mode.Roof
The cable supported roof structure will cover approximately two thirds of the stadium's seating. A six month study conducted by Olympic organisers found that while no roof at all could invalidate any potential world records set at the stadium, a partial roof reduced the chance of winds that can invalidate sprint and jump records from 50% to 5%. The roof will be made from a lightweight polymer based membrane.Stadium Island
The stadium site is on former industrial land between the Old River LeaRiver Lee (England)
The River Lea in England originates in Marsh Farm , Leagrave, Luton in the Chiltern Hills and flows generally southeast, east, and then south to London where it meets the River Thames , the last section being known as Bow Creek.-Etymology:...
(which rejoins the Navigation below Old Ford Lock
Old Ford Lock
Old Ford Lock is a paired lock and weir on the River Lee Navigation, in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, England. It is at Bow on the east side of London...
), the City Mill River, and the Old Pudding Mill River; parts of the Bow Back Rivers
Bow Back Rivers
The Bow Back Rivers are part of the River Lea in the London Borough of Newham, east London, England, and form a complex system of waterways. The River Lea was originally tidal as far as Hackney Wick; man-made changes to the river had changed this dramatically in the 9th century, and in 1110 a...
. Another branch of this system, St Thomas' Creek, 200 metres to the south, completes an "island" surrounded by water. Two hundred metres to the east is the Waterworks River; on the eastern bank will be the Aquatics Centre
Aquatics Centre (London)
The London Aquatics Centre is an indoor facility with two 50 metre swimming pools and a 25 metre diving pool, which will be one of the main venues of the London 2012 Summer Olympics and the London 2012 Summer Paralympics.-Design:...
.
This "island" site for the stadium lies at the southern end of the Olympic Park
Olympic Park, London
The Olympic Park in London is a new sporting complex currently under construction, adjacent to the Stratford City development in Stratford, Bow, Leyton & Homerton in East London for the 2012 Summer Olympics and Paralympics....
. The existing waterways will be modified to surround the stadium, and access will be via several footbridges positioned around the building's perimeter.
LOCOG publications and media reports have begun to refer to the site as Stadium Island due to the location and design—a name that may potentially define the site in years to come.
Development process
On 13 October 2006, LOCOG confirmed that it had selected the Team Stadium consortium (consisting of Sir Robert McAlpineSir Robert McAlpine
Sir Robert McAlpine Ltd. is a private British company headquartered in London. It carries out engineering and construction for the oil and gas, petrochemical, power generation, nuclear, pharmaceutical, defence, chemical, water and mining industries.-History:...
; HOK Sport + Venue + Event, now known as Populous; and Buro Happold
Buro Happold
Buro Happold is a professional services firm providing engineering consultancy, design, planning, project management and consulting services for all aspects of buildings, infrastructure and the environment, with its head office in Bath, Somerset...
) to start negotiations with, in hope to find the contractor fulfilling the eventual design and build contract of the new Olympic Stadium.
The ODA
ODA
*ODA or Oda may refer to:*Oda , a typical Albanian room*Oda , is a room within harem especially in the Ottoman Empire- Computing :* Open Data Center Alliance - Data Center and Cloud Infrastructure Standards...
received international and national interest to prequalify for the design and construction tender but Team Stadium was the only consortium to meet all prequalification criteria. The consortium was also the team who delivered the locally acclaimed new Emirates Stadium
Emirates Stadium
Ashburton Grove, currently known as the Emirates Stadium, is a UEFA elite football stadium which is home to Arsenal FC, where they moved from Highbury in 2006. It has an current capacity of 60,361, and there have been rumours of an expansion...
, home of Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
Team Stadium members have extensive experience in the design and build of sports venues, including the Olympic Stadium for the 2000 Sydney Games
2000 Summer Olympics
The Sydney 2000 Summer Olympic Games or the Millennium Games/Games of the New Millennium, officially known as the Games of the XXVII Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was celebrated between 15 September and 1 October 2000 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
.
On October 11, 2011 Britain's Olympics minister Hugh Robertson confirmed the collapse of the Olympic Park Legacy Company's agreement with West Ham to take over the stadium after the games. The OPLC announced that negotiations with West Ham, unveiled as the preferred stadium bidder in February 2011, had ended because of growing concerns over delays caused by the ongoing legal dispute with rival club Tottenham Hotspur. West Ham had not signed any contracts, allowing the OPLC to abandon talks with the club. The stadium, which cost an estimated $760 million, will now remain in public ownership and leased out to an anchor tenant following a new tender process.
Reaction
The stadium design received a mixed response from the media, with reviews ranging from "magnificent" to a "bowl of blancmangeBlancmange
Blancmange is a sweet dessert commonly made with milk or cream and sugar thickened with gelatin, cornstarch or Irish moss, and often flavored with almonds. It is usually set in a mould and served cold. Although traditionally white, blancmanges are frequently given a pink color as well...
".
The Olympic Stadium design was promoted as example of "sustainable development", but some architecture critics have questioned both its aesthetic value and suitability as a national icon - especially when compared to Beijing National Stadium
Beijing National Stadium
Beijing National Stadium, also known officially as the National Stadium, or colloquially as the Bird's Nest , is a stadium in Beijing, China. The stadium was designed for use throughout the 2008 Summer Olympics and Paralympics.-History:...
. For example, Ellis Woodman (Building Design
Building Design
Building Design is one of the leading architectural magazines in the United Kingdom.According to ABC , the magazine's circulation for the year ending June 2008 was 22,848. The publishing company is UBM Built Environment, a division of United Business Media, which also publishes Building and...
s architecture critic) said of the design:
"The principle of it being dismountable is most welcome... it demonstrates an obvious interest in establishing an economy of means and as such is the antithesis of the 2008 Olympic stadium in Beijing. But while that's an achievement, it's not an architectural achievement. In design terms what we're looking at is pretty underwhelming."
He went on to criticise the procurement and design processes – stating of the latter that it should have been subject to an architectural competition.
This view was echoed by Tom Dyckhoff, The Times
The Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
s architecture critic, who described the design as "tragically underwhelming" and commented that the "architecture of the 2008 and 2012 Olympics will, in years to come, be seen by historians as a "cunning indicator of the decline of the West
Western world
The Western world, also known as the West and the Occident , is a term referring to the countries of Western Europe , the countries of the Americas, as well all countries of Northern and Central Europe, Australia and New Zealand...
and the rise of the East".
Amanda Baillieu (Building Design magazine) challenges the designer's claims that the stadium is environmentally sustainable and good value for money. Instead it is asserted that the reality will be the opposite. In particular, she claims that:
- the temporary roof could not be reused to cover the permanent 25,000 seating area – given the difference in size;
- it is unlikely that the removed seating would be wanted for any other event e.g. the Glasgow Commonwealth games; and
- the costs involved in dismantling the stadium – and surrounding "pods" – has not been factored into the estimated cost.
The cost of £537 Million compared to cost of 1908 Olympics Stadium £60,000 (£5,629,148.93 adjusted with up to 2010 inflation rate).
Post-Olympics
On 12 November 2010, it was announced that two bids had been shortlisted for the stadium post-Olympics. They are a joint bid from Tottenham Hotspur F.C.Tottenham Hotspur F.C.
Tottenham Hotspur Football Club , commonly referred to as Spurs, is an English Premier League football club based in Tottenham, north London. The club's home stadium is White Hart Lane....
and Anschutz Entertainment Group
Anschutz Entertainment Group
The Anschutz Entertainment Group is a sporting and music entertainment presenter and a subsidiary of The Anschutz Corporation. It is the world's largest owner of sports teams and sports events, the owner of the world’s most profitable sports and entertainment venues, and under AEG Live the world's...
(AEG), with the second bid from West Ham United F.C.
West Ham United F.C.
West Ham United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Upton Park, Newham, East London. They play in The Football League Championship. The club was founded in 1895 as Thames Ironworks FC and reformed in 1900 as West Ham United. In 1904 the club relocated to their current...
and Newham Council. The former bid would maintain the 80,000 capacity, while the latter would reduce it to 60,000.
Bid 1: AEG & Tottenham Hotspur
These joint bidders had originally expressed individual interest in the venue but submitted a joint bid to take over. AEG is the company that redeveloped the loss making Millennium Dome
Millennium Dome
The Millennium Dome, colloquially referred to simply as The Dome or even The O2 Arena, is the original name of a large dome-shaped building, originally used to house the Millennium Experience, a major exhibition celebrating the beginning of the third millennium...
exhibition venue in South East London into the profitable music venue The O2
The O2 (London)
The O2, visually typeset in branding as The O2, is a large entertainment district on the Greenwich peninsula in South East London, England, including an indoor arena, a music club, a Cineworld cinema, an exhibition space, piazzas, bars and restaurants...
. When the formal bidding process opened, little was known of AEG's plans for the Olympic Stadium, but they were described as among the front-runners of interested parties, along with West Ham. On 26 July 2010, it was rumoured that Tottenham might be interested in taking over the Olympic Stadium post-Games. The club have plans to build a new stadium adjacent to their current home, but the capacity could not reach that of the Olympic Stadium, making a move attractive to the club.
Bid 2: West Ham United & Newham Council
Following the 2010 takeover by David Gold and David Sullivan
David Sullivan
David Sullivan is a Welsh-born British businessman and pornographer, who is also joint-chairman of West Ham United.He graduated in Economics from Queen Mary College, University of London. From 1986 until 2007 he owned the Daily Sport and Sunday Sport which he sold for £40 million...
, the new owners of West Ham expressed their desire to make the Olympic Stadium as the club's new home. With Boris Johnson expressing his desire for a football team to take over the stadium after the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics this seemed the most likely option. At the opening of the formal bid process, West Ham were considered favourites once they reversed from their initial opposition to keeping the running track as well as planning a £100m conversion to create a 60,000 capacity venue, which would also host international football, international athletics, as well as Essex County Cricket Club
Essex County Cricket Club
Essex County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh national cricket structure, representing the historic county of Essex. Its limited overs team is called the Essex Eagles, their team colours this season are blue.The club plays most of its home games...
, international Twenty20
Twenty20
Twenty20 is a form of cricket, originally introduced in England for professional inter-county competition by the England and Wales Cricket Board , in 2003. A Twenty20 game involves two teams, each has a single innings, batting for a maximum of 20 overs. Twenty20 cricket is also known as T20 cricket...
cricket matches, NFL
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
matches and Live Nation
Live Nation
Live Nation is a live-events company based in Beverly Hills, California, focused on concert promotions. Live Nation formed in 2005 as a spin-off from Clear Channel Communications, which then merged with Ticketmaster in 2010 to become Live Nation Entertainment....
events.
Originally expressed interest:
The legacy plan for the stadium originally involved its conversion into a 25,000 to 30,000 seat athletics stadium with a sports training, science and medicine centre following the 2012 Paralympics. Media reports however have suggested that several potential tenants were interested in moving to the Olympic Stadium after the Games, among them the England and Wales Cricket Board
England and Wales Cricket Board
The England and Wales Cricket Board is the governing body of cricket in England and Wales. It was created on 1 January 1997 combining the roles of the Test and County Cricket Board, the National Cricket Association and the Cricket Council...
, along with several London cricket, football and rugby clubs:
- England and Wales Cricket BoardEngland and Wales Cricket BoardThe England and Wales Cricket Board is the governing body of cricket in England and Wales. It was created on 1 January 1997 combining the roles of the Test and County Cricket Board, the National Cricket Association and the Cricket Council...
, Kent County Cricket ClubKent County Cricket ClubKent County Cricket Club is one of the 18 first class county county cricket clubs which make up the English and Welsh national cricket structure, representing the county of Kent...
, Middlesex County Cricket ClubMiddlesex County Cricket ClubMiddlesex County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Middlesex. It was announced in February 2009 that Middlesex changed their limited overs name from the Middlesex Crusaders, to the...
, Essex County Cricket ClubEssex County Cricket ClubEssex County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh national cricket structure, representing the historic county of Essex. Its limited overs team is called the Essex Eagles, their team colours this season are blue.The club plays most of its home games...
: The oval shape of the Olympic Stadium would be perfect if it were to be used for cricket, and the projected capacity of the Olympic Stadium post-Olympics would also be considerably more than the alternatives used for cricket around the country at present.
- English 2018 and 2022 FIFA World Cup bidEnglish 2018 and 2022 FIFA World Cup bidEngland 2018 was the Football Association's unsuccessful bid for the right to host the 2018 FIFA World Cup. FIFA invited bidding countries to bid for either the 2018 or the 2022 finals, or both...
: London United, the body responsible for identifying which football stadia in London should be incorporated into a World Cup bid, had expressed serious interest in also using the Olympic stadium as a football venue.
- London WaspsLondon WaspsLondon Wasps is an English professional rugby union team. The men's first team, which forms London Wasps, was derived from Wasps Football Club who were formed in 1867 at the now defunct Eton and Middlesex Tavern in North London, at the turn of professionalism in 1999...
: It has been reported in the London Press and nationally that London Wasps rugby unionRugby unionRugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
team could move from their home in High Wycombe to the vacant Olympic Stadium. However there has been opposition from the Buckinghamshire public and some of Wasps players, as Wasps now contribute to community life and have built up a solid fan base in the area that would be hard to recreate in East London.
- Saracens R.F.C.Saracens F.C.Saracens are a professional rugby union team based in St. Albans, England – although they play their home games at Vicarage Road, in Watford. They are currently members of the Aviva Premiership, the top level of domestic rugby union in England...
: Saracens Chairman Nigel Wray has put in a bid to see the North London club move from Vicarage RoadVicarage RoadVicarage Road, a stadium in Watford, Hertfordshire, England, is the home of the football club Watford and their tenants, the Saracens rugby union club. An all-seater stadium, its current capacity is 17,477.-History:...
(which they currently share with Watford F.C.) to East London.
- London Skolars R.L.F.C.London SkolarsLondon Skolars are a rugby league club based at the New River Stadium, Wood Green, Haringey in North London. They were founded in 1995 and have been semi-professional since 2003, operating in Championship One...
: Rugby LeagueRugby leagueRugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
Championship One side London Skolars have also expressed an interest to move into the stadium following the Olympics. This would form the basis of a Super LeagueSuper LeagueSuper League is the top-level professional rugby league football club competition in Europe. As a result of sponsorship from engage Mutual Assurance the competition is currently officially known as the engage Super League. The League features fourteen teams: thirteen from England and one from...
licence application, however no official moves have been made as of yet.
- Talk had also spread that the National Football LeagueNational Football LeagueThe National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
of American footballAmerican footballAmerican football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
had been looking at placing a franchise in London, and the stadium has been seen as a potential venue for all home games for the team. The as-built Olympic Stadium would easily meet the league's requirements for seating capacitySeating capacitySeating capacity refers to the number of people who can be seated in a specific space, both in terms of the physical space available, and in terms of limitations set by law. Seating capacity can be used in the description of anything ranging from an automobile that seats two to a stadium that seats...
, and would have no trouble accommodating an American football field, which is about 5 metres longer than a FIFA-standard association football pitch (including the end zones) but nearly 20 metres narrower. This has also been seen as one of the ways that the stadium could make maximum surplus after the games, due to interest shown in the International seriesNFL International SeriesBeginning with the 2005 season, the National Football League has hosted regular season American football games held outside the United States in a series known as the International Series.-Background:...
played in London.
- Leyton Orient F.C.Leyton Orient F.C.Leyton Orient F.C. are an English professional football club in East London. They currently play in Football League One and are known to their fans as the O's.Leyton Orient have spent one season in the top flight of English football, in 1962–63...
: The closest club geographically, Leyton Orient announced in November 2007 that they were in negotiations regarding permanent tenancy after the games. This would allow for redevelopment of their existing Brisbane Road stadium and provide a regular use for the Olympic and Paralympic venue.
Despite several rounds of negotiations with potential tenants, LOCOG has elected to adhere to its bid commitment to provide a legacy for athletics at the stadium, with capacity reduced to a more financially-viable 25,000. However, the newly-elected Mayor of London, Boris Johnson
Boris Johnson
Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson is a British journalist and Conservative Party politician, who has been the elected Mayor of London since 2008...
, has stated that all parties need to look carefully at the legacy plans for the stadium and has not ruled out use by either a professional football or rugby team. This in mind, the contract for building the stadium clearly stated that it must stay as a usable athletics track available for competition and training at any time.
After receiving and pre-screening over 100 expressions of interest, the formal bidding process of selecting the post-Olympics user of the stadium opened on 18 August 2010. It was to run until 30 September, after which the OPLC would draw up a shortlist, with a view to selecting a tenant by the end of the financial year, by March 31. The winning bidder is required to support the regeneration of the area, and retain the stadium as a "distinctive physical symbol".
West Ham United
On 11 February 2011 the Olympic Park Legacy Committee selected West Ham United & Newham Council as the preferred bidder to take over the Olympic Stadium after the 2012 Games. The decision in favour of West Ham's bid was unanimous. However Leyton Orient have complained that the stadium is too close to their ground and would breach FA rules. They claim that West Ham's plans could force them into bankruptcy. On 3 March 2011 West Ham United's proposed move to the Olympic Stadium was approved by the British government and London mayor Boris JohnsonBoris Johnson
Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson is a British journalist and Conservative Party politician, who has been the elected Mayor of London since 2008...
.
Judicial review and independent investigation
Tottenham Hotspur F.C. and Leyton Orient applied for a judicial review to overturn the OPLC's decision, however this appeal was rejected in June 2011 Tottenham Hotspur, then appealed the decision not to have a review on 29 June 2011. On 23 August, the day before they were due in court, it looked like the football club would drop all claims for a review when they staged 'intense negotiations' with the office of the Mayor of London, and looked set to be offered funding for their own stadium. However the next day Tottenham did attend court despite being close to striking a deal about their own stadium, thus allowing West Ham to move into the Olympic stadium by 2014. Tottenham and Leyton Orient won a review of the decision, being told that they had an arguable case. The review will take place on 18 October 2011. However if Tottenham abandon the review due to being granted a new stadium Orient will continue with its owner Barry HearnBarry Hearn
Barry Hearn is an English sporting events promoter, and the founder and chairman of promotions company Matchroom Sport. He is currently the chairman of Leyton Orient F.C., and the Professional Darts Corporation and was also until July 2010 chairman of the World Professional Billiards and Snooker...
calling the decision to grant a review "a great day for the little man." It has been reported that if the judicial review orders a re-run of the bidding process then a clause will be inserted stipulating that the winning bidder must retain a running track within the stadium itself.
The Olympic Legacy Company announced on 5 July 2011 that an independent review into the awarding of the Olympic Park Stadium to West Ham United was to be carried out following the discovery on 30 June 2011 that an employee, Dionne Knight, had been engaged by West Ham to carry out consultancy work relating to the Olympic Stadium without permission of the OPLC. Ms Knight, had already declared to the OPLC that she was in a personal relationship with a director of West Ham and, was suspended whilst a possible conflict of interest was investigated. On 22 August 2011, the independent investigation ruled that the process was not compromised and thus the bid process will not be reopened.
On 11 October 2011, the deal to sell the stadium to West Ham collapsed. West Ham immediately announced plans to become tenants of the stadium. On 18 October Leyton Orient
Leyton Orient F.C.
Leyton Orient F.C. are an English professional football club in East London. They currently play in Football League One and are known to their fans as the O's.Leyton Orient have spent one season in the top flight of English football, in 1962–63...
submitted an application to the Football League for permission for a move to the stadium. Chairman Barry Hearn said, "We are asking for a 25,000-seat stadium and we want to see if we can get around the athletics track. It has to stay, we know that. But can we build up, if not down, and see if it’s possible to get it covered while we play?".
World Athletics Championships
London bid to host the 2015 World Athletics Championships2015 World Championships in Athletics
The 15th World Championships in Athletics are scheduled be held in 2015 in Beijing, China. The event will be the largest sporting event to take place at the Beijing National Stadium since the 2008 Summer Olympics.-Bidding process:...
using its Olympic Stadium. It went up against Beijing's Olympic Stadium
Beijing National Stadium
Beijing National Stadium, also known officially as the National Stadium, or colloquially as the Bird's Nest , is a stadium in Beijing, China. The stadium was designed for use throughout the 2008 Summer Olympics and Paralympics.-History:...
and the Polish city of Chorzow
Chorzów
Chorzów is a city in Silesia in southern Poland, near Katowice. Chorzów is one of the central districts of the Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union - a metropolis with a population of 2 million...
. However the stadium had to pull out of the running of hosting the championships due to the uncertainty of the stadium, due to the timing of the announcement of who would operate the stadium after the Olympics, thus gifting Beijing the championships. With the issues resolved over the stadium's future, London again used the stadium to bid for the 2017 World Athletics Championships
2017 World Championships in Athletics
The 16th World Championships in Athletics are scheduled to be held in 2017 in London, United Kingdom. London were officially awarded the Championships by the IAAF, in Monaco on 11 November 2011.-Bidding process:...
. The bid was made official in August with Lord Coe personally submitting the bid a few weeks later at the 2011 World Athletic Championships
2011 World Championships in Athletics
The 13th IAAF World Championships in Athletics was an international athletics competition that was held in Daegu, South Korea. It started on 27 August 2011 and finished on 4 September 2011....
in Degeu. London's Mayor Boris Johnson
Boris Johnson
Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson is a British journalist and Conservative Party politician, who has been the elected Mayor of London since 2008...
and the British government have backed the bid. Following Tottenham winning the right to a review on 18 October 2011, just three weeks before the IAAF vote on the 2017 championships host, Lord Coe, on 25 August 2011 stated that the bid would be unaffected by the legal battle. With, UK Athletics
UK Athletics
UK Athletics is the governing body for the sport of athletics in the United Kingdom. It is responsible for overseeing the governance of athletics events in the UK as well as athletes, their development, and athletics officials....
chairman, Ed Warner adding "Whatever the outcome of that process there is going to be a track in that stadium and that's what matters and that's the commitment we're making to the IAAF." On 11 November 2011, the IAAF officially awarded the 2017 World Championships to London.
See also
- Olympic Park, LondonOlympic Park, LondonThe Olympic Park in London is a new sporting complex currently under construction, adjacent to the Stratford City development in Stratford, Bow, Leyton & Homerton in East London for the 2012 Summer Olympics and Paralympics....
- Olympic Hockey Centre (London)Olympic Hockey Centre (London)London's Olympic Hockey Centre will be built in the Olympic Park at Hackney in east London, United Kingdom. It will have two venues for the Olympic hockey competition at the 2012 Summer Olympics with capacities of 15,000 and 5,000 respectively, and venues for the Paralympic football seven-a-side...
- Aquatics Centre (London)Aquatics Centre (London)The London Aquatics Centre is an indoor facility with two 50 metre swimming pools and a 25 metre diving pool, which will be one of the main venues of the London 2012 Summer Olympics and the London 2012 Summer Paralympics.-Design:...