Regarded as the top contender, West Ham United is positioned as the preferred choice over Barclays Premier League competitor Tottenham Hotspur for the takeover of London ‘s principal Olympic stadium following the 2012 Games.
An announcement is anticipated on Friday following a vote by the Olympic Park Legacy Company, culminating months of discussions regarding the future of the $855 million venue.
Seeking to relocate from their present home at Upton Park, West Ham has suggested maintaining the Olympic running track post-Games, while reducing the capacity from 80,000 to 60,000 seats in the stadium.
Harry Redknapp, the manager of Tottenham, has consistently voiced criticism against the presence of a running track at a top-tier football venue. The bid from his club, in collaboration with American sports and entertainment powerhouse AEG, aims to construct a dedicated 60,000-seat football stadium in place of the Olympic facility.
The appeal of West Ham’s proposal lies in the promise made by London Olympic officials to uphold an athletics legacy at the stadium, a commitment made during their successful bid to the International Olympic Committee in 2005.
Though unlikely, the OPLC board might choose to transform the venue into a 25,000-seat athletics stadium, potentially dismissing both West Ham’s and Tottenham’s proposals.
This week, West Ham vice chairman Karren Brady expressed her belief that Tottenham’s intention to demolish the stadium would constitute a “corporate crime.”
Nevertheless, given the increasingly tenuous standing of West Ham in the Premier League, some critics suggest that their proposal may not be economically sustainable in the long run.
Buford Balony says: Why do Spurs wish to leave North London? It’s because they recognize that Arsenal is a vastly superior club with which they cannot compete. If I were in their position, I would simply concede North London to Arsenal as well.