Post-Olympic interest in stadium is music to the ears
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One of the biggest questions hanging over London 2012 is what will happen to the AFTER the Games?
I've learned that a bidding war could be under way beween two giants in the music industry looking to turn the Olympic Park into one of the world's most sought after music venues.
We knew that , which runs the O2 and is the owner of the world's most profitable sports and entertainment venues, was in the market to take over the main stadium but I've learned that a company called is also interested.
This is a significant development because Live Nation is the world's biggest concert producer.
It's signed up major artists like Madonna, U2 and Lady Gaga but more importantly it runs about 140 venues around the world and puts on 20,000 concerts each year.
I've learned Live Nation is not just interested in taking over the main stadium it also wants to take over the handball indoor arena which would allow it to put concerts on, all year round.
This would turn this part of London into a music mecca.
What wants to do is get independent companies coming here and running these venues.
The danger is if you don't there's a drain on the taxpayer so it's manna from heaven to have two major international independent entertainment companies saying they're interested.
We also know that have but we also know it'll cost the club a lot of money to turn the Olympic Stadium into a football ground.
So, it may be that the solution is that an entertainment company comes in, takes over the whole park and turns into a fascinating place that people want to go to long after the Games have ended.
I'm 91Èȱ¬ London's Olympics Correspondent, which means I report on every aspect of the preparations for 2012. I'm going to be telling you what people are saying about London's preparations - both in the Olympic corridors of power and on the streets of the capital - and I want to hear your views.
Comment number 1.
At 9th Jun 2010, Chris wrote:Perhaps the more important question is can the park remain useful as a major sporting centre if one or more of the venues is in regular use as a concert venue?
What will the impact be on the accessibility of the legacy facilities such as the aquatics centre and velopark (plus the main stadium itself) to local people plus regional and national sporting bodies? Things like parking, hotel accomodation, etc. need to be considered including the increased costs of this surrounding infrastructure.
It would be just as much a failure to see the sport driven from the park and it turned just into an entertainment venue as it would to see the venues unused and deteriorating. Hopefully someone is looking out for the balance of use not just the bank balance.
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Comment number 2.
At 12th Jun 2010, Greatdanehc wrote:Yes, sure, kick out the sport from the venues, so no sport legacy to be there after OG 2012, children to still stay on the streets stabing each other. Another venues for concerts and fairs, as like there are none in this city. How can the reporter be so shortminded to be happy that again, some greedy american companies are ruining our sport. Shame on you!
There could be some concerts and events, but only when no sport need the venue for competitions or tranings. Otherwise basketball, handball and volleyball should get the Handball Arena for them to use it for their purpose: sport.
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Comment number 3.
At 24th Jun 2010, foxyeric wrote:Perhaps there should be a shared ownership as so that both music and sport benefit. Live nation and AEG are very successful companies and have made London one of the world's best place for live entertainment and at a profit.
Hopefully we will see a legacy after the games that is worthy for all.
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