Am I the only one who is against giving it to West Ham (or indeed any football team). Yes, it's providing a great legacy.... if you happen to be a West Ham fan.
The idea of it being used by WH has been around so long I've got used to it. It can't be refitted like Eastlands and I think it would be a pretty soulless home for football. What transpired to be cheaper flexible alternative designs which could Transformer-like change the stadium to a footie ground and back were kicked into touch. That now seems a bit idealistic as far as Athletics is concerned.
You are not the only one. Although part of me wants West Ham to get it because I reckon it's gonna be a huge farce trying to change the stadium into anything resembling a football stadium. Whatever cost has been quoted looks way too small to me. Basically, they (partly the taxpayer) is gonna end up spending close to £200m to convert a stadium that will end up being neither perfect for athletics or football. West Ham may well fill it in the early days if they are in the Prem. No doubt they'll have to give away tickets to locals etc, plus I fully expect they'll allow away allocations of up to 10,000 for big games, london derbies etc. I'm glad at least that if slimeballs Gold & Sullivan sell West Ham to a sheik or russian, they'll have to share the profits with the council and not trouser it all.
It is important that the stadium is used for sport...if not West Ham will do It will be a crappy football ground though.
I agree PL. I think Leyton Orient should ground share though. That plan to make it part of an F1 track was totally bonkers. Almost anything but that. Actually think it's a shame Athletics doesn't get a look in. The London Olympics was the best sporting spectacle I can remember.
I know someone who has seen the plans. At the meeting, the laptop with the plans on it was kept in a secure case and was chained to a security guard. He wouldn't tell me any specifics because of the confidentiality agreement but he said he was totally against the idea before but 100% in favour of the move since seeing the plans which he described as "breath taking". I asked about retractable seating and he said that we have no need to worry and seats will be right up to the pitch. So you can all speculate on how soulless and unsuitable for football it is. I, and many others know different and I can't ****ing wait.
So you would rather it just sat there and started to fall apart due to the only source of income being from tourists like the 2008 Olympic Stadium?
I give you Queen's Park in Scotland. They play at Hampden Park and they don't ground share either - except with the Scottish national team. It's not about a club that can only muster 3000 fans. It's about use. And in any case, if Orient are ambitious it's the perfect kick-start.
Oh yes, and once West Ham move to the Olympic Stadium, their attendances will rarely be above 1500 I'm sure. Nope, I've always been in favour of it being a multi-sports venue used for cricket, American football, the occasional England game, concerts, exhibitions and shows. Basically Wembley but in a far better location. I know there's talk about using it for other things, but that's a lot less feasible when West Ham are playing a home game over other week and so don't want the turf all messed up. I know the Emirates has been used for other things, but I think that's not that often especially compared to other arenas. Like I said, it's great if you're a West Ham fan, not so much if you're not (especially if you're a Leyton Orient fan).
Not that fussed if WHU get it or not. If it is the best way to ensure that it is used then so be it. Would it still be able to be used as some sort of National athletics arena as well? I think that is important for the whole legacy thing, future athletes will want to perform in the same place as mo, Jess etc won their Golds.
That's alright. I have nothing at all against West Ham, I just think the legacy benefits of the stadium should be felt within a wider section of society than just merely a few dozen thousand West Ham fans, which is why I'm against it becoming the home ground of any football team, especially when so much public money has gone into it. Cricket games, NFL games, England games, concerts, shows.... the attendees of these represent a much wider range within society than any club football game.
Well it would have done if we had been allowed to continue with our joint bid with Newham council and Essex cricket club. Our vision was for cricket, concerts and community days at the ground and for it to be a multi-purpose venue. Unfortunately Spurs put paid to that by complaining that Newhams contribution was state aid thus scuppering the plan. So we have found ourselves going down this route. Boris Johnson has clearly said that our bid was the most cost effective for the tax payer so I don't really see what the problem is.
It's not even the money that concerns me, it's just something so iconic that represents the greatest year of British sport, I feel should be able to be enjoyed by the wider community, not just one section of it. Still, West Ham's bid is much better than Tottenham's frankly offensive proposal of dismantling the stadium.
I don't care who gets it as long as they keep it as an athletics stadium. Can understand why Leyton Orient fans would be unhappy though!
Sorry Trixter but I don't know you from Adam so your rumour based on what someone told you holds no sway until it is actually out there in the public domain. Oh no hold on a minute that would be a riduclous stand to take..... I am sure they will turn it in to something special good luck to you.
