Source: Daily_Mail
Lord Sugar demands Olympic Stadium U-turn as West Ham target £150m naming rights deal
Lord Sugar has cried foul over the way Tottenham's rival bidders West Ham have been handed the keys to the Olympic Stadium.[LNB]The Olympic Park Legacy Company board are expected to rubber-stamp West Ham's status as preferred bidders today - a formality that is itself likely to be nodded through by the Government and London Mayor Boris Johnson to complete the process by Easter.[LNB] The future is bright: A computer generated image shows how the interior of the Olympic Stadium - with athletics track kept intact - will look[LNB] HAVE YOUR SAY... Should West Ham celebrate Olympic Stadium victory? The Hammers have snatched the keys to the Olympic Stadium over rivals Tottenham as new tenants of the Stratford site after the 2012 Games. But with fans voicing several concerns, chiefly over the running track and attendances, should the club celebrate victory just yet? TELL US WHAT YOU THINK Sugar said: 'If they do make a decision in West Ham's direction it will be a weak and cowardly decision.'[LNB]But neither side expect a last-minute surprise after news emerged on Wednesday night that the OPLC executive will recommend West Ham to the 14-man board this morning.[LNB]Sportsmail can reveal the Hammers are already turning their attention to renaming the stadium at a price that could generate around ?150million in an auction between blue-chip companies.[LNB]They have the right to keep the word 'Olympic' in the title after being given special dispensation by the IOC to do so because, unlike Spurs, they promise to keep the athletics track as well as providing facilities for the community.[LNB]Sugar, the former Tottenham chairman, told BBC 5 Live: 'I am somewhat outraged that there have been leaks.[LNB]The OPLC board say nobody should take any notice of them and that no decision has been made, but usually there is no smoke without fire.[LNB]'The leaks about Tottenham only meeting three of the five-point criteria, well, if that's the case why did they even get beyond the first rounds of the process? It has not been very well handled.'[LNB]Sugar's comments hint at what is privately felt by several Spurs insiders, namely that they were only invited into the bidding process to act as leverage for the OPLC in their negotiations with West Ham.[LNB]A leading figure in the Tottenham campaign talked of a 'stitch-up', pointing to the fact that a press conference in central London has been called for 11am today - just two or three hours after the OPLC board meet to determine the stadium's post- Olympic tenants.[LNB]That would not appear long enough for the 14 panel members, under chairman Baroness Ford and chief executive Andrew Altman, to debate the merits of each case rigorously.[LNB]Spurs' one distant prospect of final victory is if West Ham fail to satisfy the OPLC when they enter the last, exclusive phase of dialogue with them over the lease and financial terms of the deal. That is why Sugar refused to concede defeat. [LNB]'The OPLC need a clear head if they are to make a decision that will stand the test of time and not risk burdening London and the UK taxpayer for years to come,' he added, with Tottenham's approval.[LNB]'The West Ham bid is flawed. It will be a disaster for the taxpayer.'[LNB]Field of dreams: West Ham have been given the nod to take over the Olympic Stadium following London 2012[LNB]However, despite the rhetoric, it appears increasingly unlikely that Spurs will seek judicial review of the decision if they lose today. The wind has gone out of their sails.[LNB]Not so West Ham - and the mastermind of their success, vice-chairman Karren Brady - who are planning to unveil a host of initiatives in and around the iconic arena which will become their home from the start of the 2014-15 season.[LNB]They are confident that they will succeed in re-opening the National Football Museum, previously in Preston, in east London, providing a showcase for Bobby Moore's shirts and the 1966 World Cup winning medals won by the club's golden generation. The plan is to name the gates after legendary manager and stalwart John Lyall.[LNB]Away from football, a deal to bring Madonna to perform at the stadium - which would expand to its maximum size of 107,000 for the concert - is well advanced. An agreement has been struck with Essex County Cricket Club to play Twenty20 matches there. The signs are that West Ham's bid was unexpectedly deemed more financially robust by the OPLC, not least because they are partnered by Newham Council.[LNB]As the local authority, they were seen as more rooted and reliable than the banks who were due to lend Tottenham ?250m. It is an irony given that they made great play of their superior monetary power.[LNB]They are left with the problem of what to do next. Spurs need a bigger ground than the 36,000-seat White Hart Lane but have baulked at finding ?450m to move to a 56,000-seat stadium next door. No wonder they are smarting. [LNB] [LNB] [LNB] Tottenham prepare legal fight after defeat to West Ham in battle for Olympic Stadium West Ham strike gold: Tottenham lose battle to move into Olympic Stadium Enough of the Olympic Stadium saga... Spurs and Leyton Orient should move on [LNB] [LNB] Explore more:People: Karren Brady, Bobby Moore, John Lyall, Boris Johnson, Madonna Places: London, United Kingdom, Olympic Stadium Organisations: Newham Council
