Tottenham Hotspur are through to the knockout phase of the Champions League, but meanwhile fans are starting a campaign to stay at White Hart Lane. Spurs have planning permission to redevelop the Lane into a 56,000 seat stadium, but have also been short listed to take over the Olympic Stadium, along with West Ham United.
Tottenham Hotspur are through to the knockout phase of the Champions League, but meanwhile fans are starting a campaign to stay at White Hart Lane. Spurs have planning permission to redevelop the Lane into a 56,000 seat stadium, but have also been short listed to take over the Olympic Stadium, along with West Ham United.
Spurs claim that the Olympic site is a back-up option while they try to reach agreement on details with the local council and perhaps also apply for public funding for their project, although whether that will be available in the fiscal crisis is open to question. The development costs of converting the Olympic stadium are expected to be in the region of £100m, less than the £450m it is claimed it will cost to redevelop the club’s present site where they have been for 111 years.
Transport links to the Lane have also been a recurrent issue whereas the Olympic Stadium is far more accessible. Tottenham director Sir Keith Mills, who is also a director of London 2012, claims that relocation would generate more revenue because of proximity to the City and Canary Wharf, leading to more sponsorship.
Fans have formed a We Are N17 group and they will be protesting before the home match against Chelsea on December 12th. They claim to have the support of local MP David Lammy who accused Daniel Levy, the Spurs chairman, of putting profits before supporters last week in their bid to move the club.
A decision on the Olympic stadium is expected by March at the latest. West Ham remain favourites to be selected as they plan to leave the running track in place and concerns have been expressed about ensuring that there is an athletics legacy.