West Ham still plan to move to Olympic Stadium despite relegation

By Andrew Warshaw

May 16 – West Ham United insisted today that they still plan to move into the Olympic Stadium after London 2012 despite being relegated from the Premier League.

A spokesman for the east London team said they were “totally committed” to making the £537 million ($836 million) venue their new home after the Olympics and Paralympics, though their demotion from the top flight of English football is bound to provide rivals Tottenham Hotspur with fresh ammunition in their fight to have the decision overturned.

Both Tottenham and League One side Leyton Orient have applied for separate judicial reviews into West Ham’s bid for different reasons but the Hammers claim say the club’s original bid, chosen in March, made provisions for both Premier League and Championship football.

“As far as our plans for the Olympic Stadium are concerned, we are continuing at a pace,” the spokesman said.

West Ham intend to convert the 80,000-seat stadium into a 60,000-seat venue, maintaining the athletics track.

But unless they are promoted straight away, there must be serious doubt, in terms both of likely attendances and global image, about the wisdom of London 2012’s most iconic venue being used thereafter by a football club below the top division.

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