A year to the day after the Olympic stadium began emerging from a muddy building site in east London, those behind it have insisted the project has absorbed the impact of the recession and is on course to be finished on time.
The Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) has released new pictures to demonstrate the progress made on the 80,000 capacity stadium since work began three months ahead of schedule on May 22 last year.
They show that the majority of the steel “rakers”, which will support the 55,000 seats in the upper tiers and will be removed once the games are over, are in place and almost half of the 12,000 concrete terracing units have been put in place, ready for seating to be attached. Internal areas where athletes will warm up are also starting to be fitted out.
The stadium, which will cost up to £547m according to the latest estimates, will be reduced to a 25,000 seat stadium after the games in an effort to provide a sustainable legacy. Its primary use will be as an athletics stadium but it will also host concerts and other sporting events, and house a university.
In a speech to engineers, ODA chairman John Armitt said progress on the stadium was “very strong”. “Our financial position remains sound. We have absorbed the impact of the credit crunch on the project … the project is built on strong foundations, we are on track and I am confident we will deliver within budget.”
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
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