You didn’t think this Olympic Stadium business was actually over, did you? Despite West Ham United beating out Tottenham Hotspur to officially win the bidding to move into London’s Olympic Stadium following the 2012 Games, the saga has apparently continued, albeit in slightly odd form - the Olympic Park Legacy Committee have claimed that Tottenham have launched a legal challenge to the ruling, while Spurs have insisted that they haven’t but could they review it anyway pretty please?
Olympic Stadium Future Still In Question After Fresh Legal Challenge From Tottenham Hotspur
I’m not entirely sure what’s going on here, but both sides agree that correspondence has been exchanged regarding the bidding process. At that point, the OPLC believes that the letters send by Tottenham are the beginning of legal action, at least according to a statement issued today (via the Guardian):
We can confirm that a letter before action in relation to potential judicial review proceedings has been issued. The Olympic Park Legacy Company ran a very rigorous and transparent process in its selection of the recommended preferred bidder.
...
We are confident that if these judicial review proceedings are pursued, our approach will be entirely vindicated by the courts.
Tottenham, meanwhile, have claimed that the letters merely constitute an inquiry into how the whole process worked and nothing has been set in motion, which is PR code for ‘we’re going to sue you’.
Anyway, the main difference between the two clubs’ proposals was that West Ham would keep the running track inside the Olympic Stadium intact while Tottenham would have it removed and a new athletics facility built somewhere else in London. Since one of the requirements from the OPLC was to keep the running track in place, it’s hardly a surprise that Spurs lost the bid, and they should probably stop making a fuss about it.
For a Spurs fan’s take on the situation, check out SB Nation’s Tottenham Hotspur blog Cartilage Free Captain.
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