By Andrew Warshaw
February 13 – West Ham United’s move to take over the Olympic Stadium following next year’s 2012 Games could be approved by the Government within the shortest of time frames judging by remarks made by Sports and Olympics Minister Hugh Robertson, which will allow the club and vice-chair Karren Brady to begin their planning to leave their current ground.
Robertson said he had already studied the papers produced by the Olympic Park Legacy Company (OPLC), who selected West Ham as the preferred bidder over Tottenham Hotspur on Friday (February 11), and is satisfied the process was correctly conducted.
The choice of West Ham as preferred bidder has to be ratified by two Government departments as well as the office of London’s Mayor Boris Johnson.
But it seems a mere formality.
“I have read all the board papers carefully and I’m entirely sure myself the OPLC’s process was robust and independent,” said Robertson.
“We want to make a formal announcement to Parliament but we know the clock is ticking and we want to get it done as quickly as possible.”
Robertson’s backing will be a boost to West Ham, owned by David Gold and David Sullivan, and Newham Council, whose Mayor Sir Robin Wales has been a driving force behind the campaign.
Robertson also said he did not believe the issue of the running track, a constant point of debate throughout West Ham’s battle with Tottenham over the future of the site, would pose as many problems as many independent architects believe it will.
Retractable seating could be one solution.
“People tend to think of a 1980s’ mixed-use stadium,” Robertson told BBC radio in response to claims that preserving the running track will not work in conjunction with football.
“This is a much more modern stadium, the sightlines are much better, the fans are much closer to centre spot than the outer seats at Wembley.
“Anybody who has stood in the middle of where the pitch will be will tell you that it looks much, much better.
“If West Ham want to bring in retractable seating and can still fulfil the promises they made to athletics then that’s fair enough.”
Robertson said he was keen to support a bid for the 2017 World Athletics Championships but that staging the event would cost around £45 million.
“Ticket sales only bring a small proportion in, so we have to look at that very carefully indeed with the financial position we are in,” he said.
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