What happens when the Olympics leave town?

Monday 13 August 2012

All the focus in the run up to the Olympics was the security of the games, how would the public transport network cope and how many medals Team GB would win.

Now as the Olympics has drawn to a close and Royal Mail workers are swapping their postbags for gold paint brushes it is time to ask what legacy will be left by London 2012?

Two European host cities in recent times have created legacies at polar opposites of the spectrum. Recognised as the birthplace of athletics, the Greek capital spent double the estimated budget in an attempt to put on the greatest Olympics to date. 21 out of the 22 venues now lie abandoned; Athens is left with a herd of White Elephants. In contrast the Barcelona Games of ‘92’ are the litmus paper which all Olympics that follow shall be judged. The arrival of the Games provided the catalyst to redevelop Barcelona with major improvements to transport and regeneration of the City.

Currently six of the eight venues from London 2012 have operators in place and the Legacy Company is on track to identify tenants for the Olympic Stadium and International Press and Broadcast Centre. The pre Games announcement that London will host the 2017 World Athletics Championship may go some way to ensure that the Olympic Park Legacy Company (OPLC) are not left with a huge White Elephant on their hands, much to the delight of Lord Coe and British athletics. The actual legacy of the Olympic stadium in the interim period between 2012-2017 is still up for debate.

Initially designated to West Ham FC, the plans faulted when Leyton Orient questioned the process by means of a judicial review. The announcement of a tenant is expected in September with the possible candidates including, West Ham FC, University of East London, Essex Cricket club as well as a F1 proposal. F1 maverick Bernie Ecclestone has formulated detailed plans for a possible London Grand Prix, encapsulating the Olympic Stadium. The idea of a formula one grand prix street circuit within London has been proposed before, however failed due to the potential cost.

Financial outlay is clearly one of the most pressing issues with an Olympic legacy, the Beijing Olympic Games were hailed as “the greatest ever” but also the costliest. The event was the most expensive games in history with a total of $40.9 billion spent. The figures being talked about for London 2012 are in the region of £9-11billion with London making savings by utilising existing facilities such as Wembley and Wimbledon.

The Games this summer will bring 5,000 quality new homes to east London and will be adapted for family living after the athletes leave the Olympic village. The Aquatics Centre will become a public leisure facility, which will still be useable for major competitions in the future. Vast improvements to the Docklands Light railway have been made as well as a £1b development of the London East Line.

The Olympic Games sparked a definitive change to London this summer, creating an electrifying atmosphere catalysed by British sporting success and national pride. Let’s hope that this energy is carried forward into the redevelopment of the existing venues and that the sporting success of the 2012 London Olympic Games provides the stimulant to rejuvenate the city, and bridge the socio-economic gap between East and West London.