An Olympic let-down?
Peter Hoskin 5:21pm
A couple of days ago, I wrote that - given the massive costs attached to the 2012 Games - taxpayers will want to see that the Government's promise to deliver a lasting "Olympics legacy" isn't an empty one. Well, if a survey on the matter by Opinion Research is anything to go by, then there's not much confidence on that front. A third of respondents think that the Olympics will deliver no significant, long-term benefits, and that the money should be spent on other public services. And only 12 percent of people believe the Olympics will come in on budget, or within ten percent of budget.
The public mood is understandable - after all, the latest news is that London's main Olympic stadium could be demolished after the 2012 Games, and the land sold on to a Premiership football club. But it's a shame that it has to be that way. After all, the Opinion Research survey also finds that people are getting more excited about 2012, in the wake of Team GB's success in Beijing. Yet the government's potential for mismangement threatens to cast a pall over all that.
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Hysteria
September 5th, 2008 5:46pm Report this commentWTF? Build a stadium then knock it down so somebody else can build another one?
Is it only me that sees something odd with this plan?
Max Kaye
September 5th, 2008 5:47pm Report this commentIt really isn't too late to cancel the London 2012 Games.
Even with punitive penalty clauses, it would be the sensible thing to do.
A canny government would use the resulting 'windfall' to pay for something truly 'popular', like reducing heating bills....
The Happy Carbon Footprint
September 5th, 2008 5:55pm Report this commentYou mean some people believed it? Some people are so stupid they haven't clicked that the Olympics is the biggest ongoing boondoggle in the history of the world - specifically set up to enrich (immensely) the Olympics Committee on an ongoing basis and interested parties in the cities "chosen" on a quadri-annual basis.
Some people really believed> it?
Ray
September 5th, 2008 6:27pm Report this commentIf the experience of Athens is anything to go by, the Olympic facilities will make superb encampments for so-called 'travellers'.
Ross
September 5th, 2008 6:48pm Report this comment"12 percent of people believe the Olympics will come in on budget"
That's incredible, there are over 7 million gibbering lunatics in Britain!
Marian C
September 5th, 2008 7:40pm Report this commentHysteria - "Is it only me that sees something odd with this plan?"
No Hysteria, your not on your own at all, its completely insane. However, it probably makes perfect sense to Old Gordo (the delusional)!!
It does make me wonder just who or how many are getting back handers for this, or am I just being cynical?
Max Kaye - Thats far too sensible for this government.
HJ
September 5th, 2008 9:45pm Report this commentI believe Boris has denied any knowledge of a plan to demolish the stadium.
Does anyone know why the example of the City of Manchester stadium can't be followed, i.e. planned conversion to a football ground afterwards?
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