West Ham will prevent Olympic Stadium becoming a 'dust bowl' - Mayor Boris Johnson happy to approve Hammers bid

Posted Friday, March 04, 2011 by Dailystar.co.uk

West Ham will prevent Olympic Stadium becoming a 'dust bowl' - Mayor Boris Johnson happy to approve Hammers bid
London calling: West Ham co-owners David Gold and David Sullivan and vice-chairman Karren Brady will be preparing for life at the Olympic Stadium

Johnson also promised Tottenham that he would do all he could to help them move to a new stadium.

He added: 'The extremely thorough process to select a preferred bidder for the stadium attracted two outstanding proposals from two great London football clubs.

'I would like to reassure Tottenham Hotspur that we stand ready to support them with any plans they now want to take forward for their future stadium requirements.'

West Ham vice-chairman Karren Brady was heavily involved in the club's bid and she was delighted to hear that the Hammers are now one step closer to being handed the keys to the stadium.

She said: 'I am pleased and proud the Mayor of London and Government have today endorsed the Olympic Park Legacy Company's recommendation that West Ham United and Newham Council be preferred bidder for the Olympic Stadium.

'I am grateful for their support and the clear recognition of the strengths of a financially strong, community-based bid that will do much for the regeneration of east London.

'At West Ham, we have been entrusted with a great responsibility and the OPLC's unanimous backing will only inspire us further to make good on our legacy promises. In many ways, the hard work starts now. The starting gun has been fired and we are off and running.

'This will be an Olympic Stadium to make everyone proud, a multi-sports, multi-event arena that will be both a spectacular local and global attraction. We will not let anyone down.'

The OPLC chose West Ham over Tottenham on the basis that their bid was a better match for the five criteria laid down. One criteria was for the stadium to re-open as quickly as possible after the 2012 Games, and Tottenham's plan was to demolish it and rebuilt a football-only venue.

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