WEST HAM and Leyton Orient are to play off for the Olympic stadium, after it emerged that the Hammers current deal for the Stratford site has collapsed.
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Thanks to a growing pile of legal actions – “the process had become bogged down in legal paralysis,” said Sports Minister Hugh Robertson – the government has decided to rip up its agreement to sell the 2012 venue to West Ham and go back to the drawing board.
That has given hope to Leyton Orient, one of the legal challengers to the original deal and the football club closest to the new stadium.
“This represents a total victory for Leyton Orient football club and we are delighted,” said O’s chairman Barry Hearn.
“They’ve got to go back to the beginning and start again and we will be an interested party in that bidding process.”
But West Ham haven’t given up yet. Instead of buying the stadium, the Hammers are now looking to rent it, for about £5 million a year.
“West Ham will look to become a tenant of the stadium,” said Hammers vice-chair Karren Brady.
“Our bid is the only one that will secure the sporting and community legacy promise of the Olympic Stadium.”
Another of the legal challengers to the scheme to sell to West Ham were Tottenham, who wanted to knock down the stadium and build a dedicated football ground.
By scrapping the sale and keeping the stadium in state hands, therefore removing any legal trouble, the government has ensured that an athletics track will stay and that Tottenham will probably drop out of the running to make the Olympic stadium their home.
