The London Legacy Development Corporation says it is open-minded about renting out the Olympic Stadium to Spurs. LLDC chief executive Dennis Hone who is claimed to be a Spurs season ticket holder said: “If they approached us, we would certainly talk.”
Speaking at the London Assembly today Hone said “West Ham would always have priority but, with a need to squeeze the most money out of the stadium, the LLDC would actively consider a commercial deal If Spurs were to approach us about this we could progress those discussions but we haven’t got a clue what sort of arrangements Spurs would want so I couldn’t speculate whether it would be something we would do or not. Until we hear a proposal from Tottenham we have got nothing to consider. We have a concession agreement with West Ham and under that agreement their fixtures have priority.”
He also said the new stadium operator soon to be appointed would be “incentivised to fill the ‘dark days'” when the stadium was not being used by West Ham or athletics.
Mr Hone added: “We haven’t got a planning restriction that prevents this happening but we’d have to look at the impact on the surrounding events, the commercial offer – because there would be additional costs – and the impact on the pitch and things like that.Until something comes forward that we can actually look at I can’t say whether it would be attractive or unwelcome. We don’t want to build up any false impressions.”
LLDC Committee chairman John Biggs said: “The Government has cut funding to the LLDC, so it’s pretty clear that they would welcome an approach from Tottenham, as the income generated would be a boost.Retro-fitting a roof to the Olympic Stadium is an expensive exercise and Londoners will have to foot the cost of any overruns.The Olympic Stadium is a good option for Spurs fans and for taxpayers – although West Ham may have something to say about it – but I’m sure it would be possible to come to a ground-sharing agreement.”
On the other hand Denis Hone is a dead duck.He has resigned and will be going by the end of the year.
As i said in a related post the operator when appointed is obliged to work with the long term winter tenant in West Ham to make the stadium have the “look and feel ” of their own stadium. How would this work with Spurs there for a year? Would they pay for the West Ham branding to be taken down and reinstalled each week ? What if we are both drawn at home in the cup?
Strictly speaking its not LLDC that would have the final say, but the E20 Partnership a company set up to oversee the running of the stadium. A 50/50 partnership between the LLDC and Newham Council. Just how much would they, in particular Newham, want to pee off West Ham especially as 2016/17 would our first season of a 99 year lease by hosting Spurs for just one season?
I believe two points are being overlooked in this matter.
Namely just because levy wants something doesn’t mean he will get it.
Secondly, spuds theoretically have the same right to apply to share the OS like any other club, just like orient for instance.
But just like orient they have as much chance of sharing the OS as hell freezing over. (It was this realisation more than anything that put a stop to hearn’s mercenary tendencies).
Good media story though! Well actually it’s not. It’s only a story for the likes of the mail! Nuff said! COYI!