Mills: West Ham holds Olympic Stadium advantage 24/11/2010 |
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Sir Keith Mills, the deputy chairman of London 2012 and a Tottenham director, admits West Ham is in pole position to take over the Olympic Stadium – but only if its bid "stacks up economically".
Tottenham and AEG are bidding against West Ham to take over the Olympic Stadium after the 2012 Games, but the Spurs bid would see the running track removed while West Ham would keep it.
The Olympic Park Legacy Company (OPLC) is due to decide between the two bids before Christmas.
Mills said it was more important to avoid having “white elephants” than insist on keeping a running track inside the Olympic Stadium, so long as an athletics legacy was created elsewhere in London. Spurs' plans for that legacy have remained under wraps.
Mills added: "West Ham's proposals are to leave the running track in place and if it stacks up economically, I am sure the OPLC will award it to them. If it doesn't stack up they have an alternative in Tottenham with an athletics legacy elsewhere.
"We promised in our bid to leave an athletics legacy. The IOC president has made it clear that it is more important not to leave a white elephant in London than whether that legacy is in the stadium or elsewhere in London.
"The OPLC's job is to ensure there is a legacy and to ensure there are no white elephants.
"We have been told we will have an answer by Christmas and look forward to them coming up with the right decision."
Mills said that even if Tottenham was chosen, that did not definitely mean it would opt for the Olympic Stadium over a new ground at White Hart Lane.
He continued: "Even if we are the preferred bid, we need to see what the deal is – what the economics are like, and only then make a proper assessment about which option makes more sense."
But he explained that it was important not to saddle the club with huge debts if it made financial sense to move to the Olympic Stadium in east London.
"We'll be moving to a part of London that is 100 per cent more accessible, we'll generate more revenue, it's closer to Canary Wharf and to the City, and it'll attract more sponsorship," he told the Evening Standard.
However, Tottenham MP David Lammy criticised Mills’ remarks, saying: "It is clear the club are no longer committed to developing White Hart Lane and want to move to the Olympic Park regardless.
"He is willing to sacrifice the atmosphere of White Hart Lane to stuff the Olympic Stadium with corporate hospitality boxes.
"Tottenham Hotspur should be a club for everyone – not just for the suits in the City."
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