https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/106355 Hold public inquiry into West Ham & LLDC deal for rental of Olympic Stadium West Ham has only contributed £15m towards the £272m conversion costs of the Olympic Stadium, with the taxpayer footing the rest of the bill. Considering the cost to the taxpayer, and the effect of this taxpayer subsidy on competition between clubs, a full public inquiry into the deal is needed. More details On top of the minimal conversion contribution, West Ham has been allowed to keep the sale proceeds of their current stadium, valued at £71m. Rental is £2.5m a year, halving should WHU be relegated. Taxpayers will cover the costs of stadium utilities, security, pitch maintenance, goalposts and corner flags - estimated to be worth £1.4m - £2.5m a year. Public money should be used responsibly, and in a way which does not distort the competitiveness of independent sports bodies and businesses. > It's picking up around 20 signatures per minute at the moment. I've signed it not because of the 'burden on the taxpayer', which is minimal, but because in principle it is disgraceful that clubs such as ourselves and Arsenal have to scrimp and save to move to stadiums that we can actually fill without pimping tickets in the Evening Standard, whilst West Ham are being presented with one on a silver platter and will be allowed to reinvest proceeds from Upton Park into their squad.
It only went to west ham cos Sebastian Coe had to ensure it was not knocked down or he would not have been elected president of the IAAF. His election depended on his promise before the election that the olympic stadium would continue to be used for athletic events even though it is not suitable as a joint athletics and football venue. He was supported by Boris Johnson...surely the fact that they are both Tories has nothing to do with Johnson supporting Coe's economically insane plan. And it can not be possible that the Tory supporting co chairmen of west ham (Gold and Sullivan) and Tory House of Lords member Lady Karen Brady were given all this financial assistance for their club by Tory Boris and Seb just because they are all in the Tory party. The Olympic stadium was badly conceived and built for life after 2012 and Coe (one of those chiefly responsible) has been protected. I am glad we did not go there but when we and chelsea have been quoted around £11m per season to use wembley how the **** have west ham only been charged £2.5m a year? And how did Newham Council given them an interest free £5m loan? The whole thing is corrupt
We're petioning the wrong people. This really should be brought up in the European courts. Signed it anyway, hopefully we'll at least make enough noise to keep up some momentum on this. Colossal waste of tax payers money.
I've signed, we need to let others know about this. Is there a thread on other 606 boards? So at 10,000 (now 16,000 and something) the Government has to respond and at 100,000 it must be debated in parliament. Surely there are 100,000 fans who would sign this? Any suggestions?
Newham council. Have ads up at Stratford tube saying they have to save 50m in cash. Yet they lent the Spanners 40m quid, even though Newham is one of the poorest boroughs in the UK. And their mayor proclaimed that they spent the money for "30% of that" . Does anyone know what "that" actually is ?? Stadium naming rights money ??
Thing is, it isn't just Spurs that should be outraged. Arsenal (in particular) have had to spend a lot of money on a new library, sorry stadium, Orient might be destroyed by it, Chelsea are looking to build a new stadium (although the outrage should be felt in Russia on that one). ps passed 17,000 now. Can't see 100,000 unless it picks up some new momentum.
"Chelsea are looking to build a new stadium (although the outrage should be felt in Russia on that one)." Pocket money for Roman to initiate a EC state aid claim (if he is so inclined) .
Signed. No doubt that the list of signatories won't be redacted like 99% of the contract for the stadium... If it gets picked up by one of the papers, that usually speeds things up - but the obvious question is which paper would do that, as I can't see the Wail or the Express doing that.
Spuds crying 'foul' in relation to the West Ham/Olympic Stadium deal... Oh the irony http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2013/nov/08/west-ham-olympic-stadium-bid-three-admit-spying
The 'point' is that your green eyed monster knows no bounds. You tried everything, even to the extent of breaking the law in an effort to prevent West Ham's opportunity at potentially leap frogging you. Not to mention some of the shady dealings your club were/are involved with in regards this new Tottenham High Road development. For shame.
I don't think that the Goons are in any position to talk about shady dealings looking at their past history
So you admit you are guilty, but Arsenal were also guilty in the past so that makes it alright? Section 106 avoidance Tax avoidance Funding transport upgrades avoidance 'nuff said.
How exactly is it that the right to play in the stadium wasn’t put up for bid? Surely that would have been the way to serve the interests of the taxpayers who funded it... ...though London has absolutely nothing on Pittsburgh in terms of screwing taxpayers about stadiums. Pittsburgh had a referendum on paying for a new baseball stadium. We voted no. They built it anyway and made us pay for it. What a great use of taxpayer money that referendum was.
Tottenham didn't break the law when hiring people to investigate West Ham's dubious deal. Your accusations about "shady dealings" are similarly baseless.
