Surely Sullivan and Gold will now have to accept defeat. The behind the scene plans to tear up the running track have now been consigned to the rubbish bin for 99 years and any hope of rebranding the stadium will now be frustrated until 2017 at the earliest. Do we really want to be tenants in an athletics stadium? I was always opposed to the move but whilst there was the prospect of owning the lease and squeezing out track and field nonsense, I could see some logic to it. Now the only reason for moving would be so Sullivan and Gold can profit from the redevelopment of the Boleyn.
Still, I suppose this gives Karren Brady a new renaming opportunity. West Ham Olympic received a luke warm reception but with the awarding of the World Championships, perhaps we could become West Ham WC!
4 comments:
always full of rubbish
Ridiculous they were bidding for 2017 had we won the previous bid or not so that isnt altered now and it is still going to be reduced prior to 2017
Can't really see how this alters proceedings. If the seating is retractable it will retract for the atheletics, no reason not to have the facility immediately. Hardly think the world atheletics is going to attract 80,000 supporters so stadium can still be reduced to 60,000 seats. Extension of the roof could also still go ahead without affecting anything. What exactly is the problem. Having said this I still can not make up my mind whether or not it would be a good move. Certainly the excellent transport facilities are a big bonus. Families could travel to the ground and split for football and shopping which would probably increase the gate. On the other hand lack of atmosphere could counteract this.
The plan to move there has always been flawed as there has never been any real proposal how to ensure the huge gap between pitch and fans can be sorted (retractable seats etc). Let's be clear, this is definitely a white elephant. Let's steer well clear and build a proper footie stadium - that's where the dosh should go if the beloved Boleyn gets sold - not into a pot to waste away. There is now the very real risk that the team becomes a laughing stock playing in a ground with crap atmosphere, crap view, crap facilities and playing second fiddle to sports which are only popular quadennially. Good transport communications is a nice-to-have but not at the cost of everything else.
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