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West Ham in new London Stadium dispute

Relations between West Ham and the London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC) seem to have deteriorated since the Moore Stephens report, commissioned by London mayor Sadiq Khan, which predicted a £140m loss over ten years. Sadiq Khan is clearly unhappy with the deal reached by Boris Johnson.

The club are already involved in a lengthy court case with the LLDC over expanding stadium capacity, but now there is a new dispute over services they say were promised to them.

The club have asked for draught beer to be provided in all stadium bars, but the LLDC insist that West Ham should pay for the pumps. West Ham pay the £150,000 licence fee to show Sky Sports on televisions inside the stadium, but some of the screens carry LLDC adverts. The LLDC wants compensation if they are displaced. West Ham say the LLDC should pay for the hosts/hostesses in the directors' and corporate boxes, but the LLDC say the club should pay.

West Ham want to replace the green cover that goes over the running track with a claret coloured one, showing the club's logo. The LLDC says this would impact on the appearance of the stadium for other events and there are issues over who owns the branding rights.

West Ham insist that the cost over-runs in developing the stadium are not its fault: 'If the landlord cannot operate the stadium to its own budget, then we are not responsible. They want us to pay more for less.' The LLDC says that it is determined to minimize costs to the London taxpayer. The lawyers are going to be kept busy.

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Comments

  1. Andy Harding21 March 2018 at 05:33

    The stadium runs at a loss, Newham council and all the LLDC add on committees and quangos want shot of it, the London mayor wants the taxpayers cost minimised, there is only one outcome and that was blatantly obvious to anyone paying attention to west ham after Hearn and Levy stopped them from purchasing the stadium outright and that is that west ham will now be allowed to own the stadium, but they wont buy it at the cost people think its worth, because they don't have to, they have a 99 year lease, and unless all involved want to keep on servicing a huge growing debt to taxpayers, they will have to give it to west ham lock stock and barrel, actually west ham have played it so well that LLDC/Mayor etc might even have to pay whu to take control. good business west ham..

    ReplyDelete
  2. Sam Bishop21 March 2018 at 05:45

    The first option would be for LLDC put the rent up. It's not like WH can go and play somewhere else instead. Unfortunately they will never be able to own the ground or even remove the running track due to the Olympic Legacy and the the way WH secured preferred bidder status by confirming they would rent it "as is". Tottenham proposed rebuilding it as a dedicated football stadium and continuing the athletics legacy by redeveloping Crystal Palace and this was roundly rejected. LLDC will continue to make money on the site from concerts, athletics and the MLB agreement to play baseball games at the ground.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Harry21 March 2018 at 06:08

      Unfortunately Sam you are completely wrong. West Ham WILL end up owning the stadium outright, just like they originally wanted to and won the rights to before Tottenham and Orient lodged complaints and the sale option was scrapped.
      The Olympic Legacy is fast becoming a distant memory, not more so than for those who promised a legacy in the first place, they have all moved on and will now quite happily wash their hands of ever being involved.
      I can guarantee you it's just a matter of time and all parties involved know that. West Ham will end up owning that stadium as the current financial losses will not be allowed to continue. The negotiation positioning has already commenced.

      Delete
  3. Wyn Grant21 March 2018 at 06:08

    I don't think the contract allows them to put the rent up.

    ReplyDelete

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