Jowell: Olympic Stadium will be used for athletics after 2012 18/02/2010 |
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West Ham's hopes of moving to the Olympic Stadium post-2012 have suffered a blow after Olympics minister Tessa Jowell said the arena will be used to host grand prix athletics meetings.
The east London club’s new owners David Sullivan and David Gold are keen to move into the 80,000-seat stadium after the Games to help improve West Ham’s finances.
But Jowell said: “Let's be clear about this. It will be a grand prix athletics stadium because we need one.
''We have made that commitment – that was one of the reasons that we bid to win the Games and so that is a given.''
Sullivan has said previously that he would not want a permanent running track around the side of the pitch and suggested it could be a temporary feature.
But Jowell’s comments appear to rule out that possibility – and she criticised Sullivan for making his plans for the Olympic Stadium move public.
"I don't think you can jump from a press conference where the new owners sit down and say we'd like to move to the Olympic Stadium to how it might work," she added.
"In order to make sure we maximise the legacy of the park, we have set up the Olympic Park Legacy Company and they will shortly be inviting bids and business plans from any business that wants to apply for a commercial stake in the stadium.
“If West Ham want to made a bid at that time it will be considered alongside all the others."
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