West Ham hold Olympic stadium talks
West Hams chairman-elect Eggert Magnusson has held talks with
leaders of Londons 2012 Olympic campaign over a possible move to
the Olympic stadium.
On Wednesday he met Olympics minister Tessa Jowell and London mayor
Ken Livingstone plus senior Games officials for "a constructive
meeting".
"We will look at all the options to move forward," said a spokesman
for the Icelandic businessman.
He has already said it is his "dream" to move the club to the
Olympic venue.
The conditions of Londons successful Olympic bid required that
there is a 25,000-seater athletics legacy at the stadium after the
Games have finished.
Magnusson has agreed to this and thinks the retractable seating
used at the Stade de France in Paris demonstrates how combining
football and athletics in one venue can be a success.
"It was agreed that the ball was in West Hams court," said a
spokesperson for the Olympic minister.
"They would reflect on the discussion and decide how they wished to
proceed."
Detailed design work for the stadium is expected to start next
February, with construction for the 2012 venue starting the
following year.
It is unclear at the moment whether any possible use of the stadium
by West Ham will see the club buy it outright, or rent it in the
way Manchester City do at the City of Manchester Stadium, built for
the 2002 Commonwealth Games.
the start of monopoly 