Lincolnshire2012

[divingbrit]

West Ham’s new owners, David Gold and David Sullivan, have reopened the debate about London’s new Olympic Stadium, saying they wish to occupy the stadium after the 2012 games.

"I would say if it's not 50-50 [we will take over the stadium] I would be very surprised," Sullivan told reporters at a news conference at the club’s Upton Park stadium.

The 80,000 capacity Olympic stadium in Stratford is on West Ham’s doorstep, but its post-Olympic future hangs in the balance.

London 2012 organizers had planned to reduce its capacity to around 25,000 so that it can serve as a home to British athletics, but that scheme has had doubt cast upon it by London Mayor Boris Johnson.

He is keen for it to retain most or all of its Olympics-capacity and supported its inclusion in the England 2018 World Cup bid book. The Stratford Stadium is to be included as an alternative to a redeveloped White Hart Lane.

Sullivan said that they had no intention of buying the site, merely leasing it which would make financial sense for all parties.

“The Government promised to keep it alive for 30 years, it’s going to cost them more to keep it alive. With us it’s going to cost them nothing – we would pay all the running costs.”

World Football Insider