2018 bid is key to West Ham’s future
The success of the England 2018 World Cup bid could determine whether or not West Ham United will complete a ground move to the 2012 Olympic stadium in the future.
New Hammers owners David Gold and David Sullivan are keen on relocating to the £537 million venue in Stratford. However, the move is far from simple with a cost of around £100 million to convert the stadium into a football ground.
At present, the plan is to reduce the Olympic stadium’s capacity from 80,000 to 25,000 after the games are held in London in 2012.
Nevertheless, several factors such as whether England win the rights to the 2018 World Cup will help determine if a different route is undertaken. Should England win the bid, it is likely that the stadium will be reduced to around 55,000 providing the arena is chosen as one of England’s host stadiums. This scenario would boost West Ham’s chances of moving into the stadium after 2012.
An Olympic Park spokesperson, said: “The Olympic Park Legacy Company is currently looking at the uses of the Olympic venues, including the stadium, after the Games. Nothing is ruled in or out at this stage.”
Search
I would realy like to see England secure the 2018 our 2022 World Cup finals prefarably the 2018 finals i think the nation is ripe for such an event an give’ng it would fallow affter the Olypic’s i beleve all the right structure’s would be in place great Stadia transport lets hope it’s a decade of Sport for England and the Capital
It’s a complex call.
There needs to be a worthy athletics stadium, plus back-up facilities, to host international meetings as a legacy. Will West Ham be prepared to accommodate that??
There are those who will try and say ‘Do up Crystal Palace for athletics’.
I must say I’m not one of those. The transport links to Olympic Park will be so far superior to those to Crystal Palace that that would be a poor second choice indeed…….
Not an easy call. But it’s important that football grows up and stops thinking that no other sport is important in this country. They are. And football must remember that…..