LLDC demand £300,000 PER YEAR for track cover [audio]
- by Staff Writer
- Thursday, 6th September 2018
The London Legacy Development Corporation have dismissed West Ham United's offer of £300,000 to install a claret-coloured track cover at the Olympic Stadium.
And the stadium operators have instead insisted that the Hammers pay in the region of £300,00 PER YEAR in order to install a surround to the club's liking.Embed from Getty Images
LLDC Chief Exececutive Lyn Garner revealed the quango's extraordinary demands during a London Assembly meeting this morning.
"West Ham brought forward a case that the track cover should be claret," she said. "But that was declined by the [legal] expert who said West Ham did not have the right to have a claret track cover.
"Since that determination West Ham have come to us, asked for a claret track cover and said they will pay for it. They've offered to pay for the installation and cost of storage. The cost for a new cover is between £280,000 and £300,000.
"No other Premier League club has the opportunity to have a track cover with its colours on. It would be completely unique. Given this we have said that we would be willing to design a dual-branded cover - part West Ham, part London stadium.
"We think the club should pay not a one-off cost, but an annual fee. So we've gone back to West Ham and said we'd like to talk about a commerical fee where you pay us an amount of money per year.
"At the moment we are in discussions about that. The cost is around £300,000 [per year]."
WHUFC published this open letter on their website last month
Last month West Ham shared an open letter to the LLDC on their website, in which they requested the new pitch surround.
"Although the Concession Agreement provides that the cost of the track cover is for E20 Stadium LLP to pay, West Ham United hereby offers to pay for the track cover commissioned to our suggested design," it read.
"We offer to pay for its installation and its maintenance, as well as its removal and storage. All in all, I estimate that this offer is worth more than £380,000 in savings to E20 Stadium LLP."
You may hear Garner's full response to a question regarding the track cover from Conservative member Keith Prince below.
LLDC Chief Exec, Lyn Garner [source:YouTube]
*Lyn Garner speaking at the London Assembly, 6 Sept 2018
* Listen or download from here if you cannot view the player above.
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