How London laid the groundwork for sustainable sporting architecture | CNBC Reports

[@ianleboo]

London set the best example of how these facilities should be utilized unlike Rio

[@johnl.7754]

I think the Olympics facilities that can be utilized will be within already wealthy countries where its citizens have the time and means to use it after the Olympics. Sadly but true poorer countries should not host the Olympics.

[@organizedchaos4559]

@@johnl.7754 umm no true, you can use the Olympic as a turning point to improve the community

[@kurthalbauer7676]

Pretty sure Sydney set the best example but ok

[@habib6499]

@@kurthalbauer7676 nah london is better

[@da4127]

@@organizedchaos4559 not true, the Olympics always cost more to the country than the money they can make from it, poorer countries will be less likely to spend more money on building better reusable venues. After the Olympics and the World cup were hosted in Brazil, the country lost a lot of money. Trying to reuse those venues would mean spending more money, sports in general are used as a means to show other countries how wealthy you are, whoever tells you anything else is likely wrong.

[@saulgoodman2018]

This is how it should be. They should think about what they would use it for afterwards. You shouldn't only build it for 2 weeks, and then let it rot away.

[@pawl23]

However it seems as that only the wealthiest very large cities like Paris, London or LA can afford it. New York would be the best option for a new host in my view

[@johnpijano4786]

@@pawl23 that's why no relatively poor nation has ever mad a bid for the olympics

[@yourneighbour304]

@@johnpijano4786 rio, athens? And new delhi was in the bid for 2032,tho it was recently awarded to Brisbane.

[@johnpijano4786]

2022: Beijing 2024: Paris 2028: Milan 2032: Brisbane All in high GDP/GDP per capita countries.

[@scorpioninpink]

@@yourneighbour304 New Delhi withdrew because of the pandemic while Brisbane has perfected their bid as it was planned as earlybas 2012.

[@monty3281]

as someone who lived in the area since 2011, and still lives 15 minutes away, i find this video to be almost very accurate. The park itself and the olympics have really helped transform stratford into a central hub for east london. the railway connections that have been established since mean that stratford is now one of the most interconnected regions in london and pairing this with the repurposed venues, westfield and other businesses means the area has economically been a success both for the local governments but also the wider commuity of stratford. what the video fails to mention however is the ongoing construction for a new unversity campus, but also plans for redeveloping/regenerating the poorer surrounding areas to increase the land value of the whole project. Many lower income families are being forced to move out of council homes and their residence in order for contruction companies to be able to demolish and rebuild property which is unaffordable to the displaced residents. this is a great concern for families and people in the immediate neighborhood adjascent to the park.

[@raakeshgr397]

The tenants of council housing should have an union to oppose the forced evacuation right? I mean 17% of Brit's live in them. And won't they ensure that the current tenants have the same/ upgraded standard of house once the development is completed? They will be building >4X floor space in the current land space. I'm just wondering about that. Please feel free to correct me. I'm totally an ameature in the topic. Thank you.

[@Ron.S.]

@@raakeshgr397 I really hope you’re wrong with the 17% figure. It’s scary. Where I live it’s no more than 1%. Our NHS is so bad and we put so much taxpayer money into it (£140bn!!). DWP’s budget is £150bn!!! (And that’s after massive cuts - used to be over £200bn). It’s not fair and unsustainable

[@Alto53]

@@ems7623 what about a solution where the local government only gives approval to the private firms on the condition that they rehouse the council property tenatants?

[@mittfh]

@@raakeshgr397 What typically happens is the local council request a certain proportion of the new build development be "affordable", but then the developer, once planning permission has been secured and the existing housing demolished, claims they've recalculated and including the requested proportion of affordable housing wouldn't make the development financially viable, so negotiate it down to typically under 5%. When built, those homes (which likely will still cost more than a five bedroom executive home in the Midlands) will have separate entrances and be denied access to communal facilities in the rest of the development. As London gentrifies, lower income families are pushed further away from the centre, while many new apartments are sold to overseas investors who often deliberately leave them empty, counting on the ever increasing land prices to give them a healthy return when they eventually sell them on, without needing to spend any money on maintenance or procuring the services of a letting agent to rent it out.

[@ems7623]

@@Alto53 It sounds like a nice policy proposal. But, without knowing what all the finances and financial predictions of those local governments and those private firms, it is really difficult for either you to me to know exactly how feasible it would be. I don't like it any more than you (and believe me when I say I don't like it!), but this is the nature of how a capitalist real estate market works. In reality, something like that might be practical at some times, in some places more than others. I saw something similar to what you describe put into practice once in New Haven in the United States. The developers building new housing blocks in a run-down corner of the center city were required to have a certain number of affordable housing units in the new buildings. Low-income locals on public support were given preference in rental applications. (Not quite the guarantee you propose, but close). It seemed to work *reasonably* well. However, because it was a difficult "sell" to developers, the city only ever managed to build about three of these buildings. You see the problem ...

[@manavmishra9071]

Legacy for local people and creating sporting culture in host city..should be the ultimate reason for hosting Olympics in any city.

[@andredeketeleastutecomplex]

Legacy, not affordable housing and services?

[@yourneighbour304]

@@andredeketeleastutecomplex can you elaborate

[@yfn6660]

@@yourneighbour304 lots of people where displaced from their cheap council homes, which were demolished and replaced by expensive high end apartments. Some argue that this just adds to the current housing crisis. Gentrifying the area does make it look "prettier" but as much as they say the park is for the "locals", the "locals" they talk about aren't the locals that where there before 2012...

[@AuroDHikoshi]

Do as little building as needed and only use what is there for most of it and not build a ton of places just in the hope they'll be useful

[@narr482]

This really only works for large rich cities

[@mikeruchington4882]

My college uses the cycling centre regularly. We got to use the full mountain bike trails, bmx track and road circuit. I saw Beyoncé in the London stadium. Not even mentioning the shopping centre I couldn’t live without, London did a great job.

[@PastPresented]

The shopping centre is a bit of a cheat- plans for that were already approved (on the back of the neighbouring Stratford International station development) before the Olympic bid succeeded in 2005

[@davidjones992]

Westfield noooo! My then 13 year old daughter and I got separated from my wife and 18 year old daughter for FIVE HOURS whilst dress shopping for a wedding. Wife’s phone left in car, daughters phone battery flat, younger daughter hates shopping and fed up, me 😡

[@AnnaBellaChannel]

London did not have a massive cycling centre before the Olympics so London got something it did not have and now it is uses it 100% of the time.

[@AnnaBellaChannel]

@@PastPresented But it worked.

[@Wasserfeld.]

It's a bit more than this. The Olympic Park wouldn't be as successful without the other developments. Westfield Stratford opened just before the Olympics, which brings millions to the area - many then take a walk in the park. Stratford station is an important hub and was upgraded for the games. Plans for rebuilding are now being drawn up (too crowded). The promise of Crossrail opening (next year), added to the desirability of the area (direct trains to Heathrow). Stratford International, was also added to the HS1 project (opened 2007), as part of regeneration plans for Stratford. International trains just pass through; Kent trains stop instead, but it's still direct access to St Pancras & Kings Cross, where Scotland, France, Belgium, Netherlands just requires a change of trains. The DLR extension also makes City Airport direct, while the Jubilee line is 10 mins to Canary Wharf. Since 2012, loads of homes have been built - the Athletes Village was refurbished for people to buy/rent homes and 1000s more, plus a school have been constructed alongside. New offices and apartment high rises have been built next to the Westfield, with many still being constructed. The old Stratford Shopping Centre across from the main station is actually busier than ever, although they plan on redeveloping that. Stratford has become a regeneration success and it shows what can be done when multiple organisations work together. Must be said though, there are concerns about pushing people out and that shouldn't be forgotten.

[@normhanson981]

Yes , London is certainly moving east . Incredible transformation of the former Temple Mills industrial area.

[@carriew5106]

Quite right to highlight the importance of Stratford Station - made the entire area much more accessible to get to, not just in London, but from other parts of the UK too. I think a lot of people assume London is all the same but it has very different vibes and architecture in various locations. East and West London are almost polar opposites in same things. The Olympics and the development it created in Stratford had a huge impact on the value of housing for example.

[@JootjeJ]

Thank you. That's really interesting.

[@ross_burnage]

I presume it was relatively symbiotic... Stratford station and Westfield probably wouldn't have been built without the knowledge that the Olympic park would be regenerating the area?

[@Wasserfeld.]

@@ross_burnage Stratford station has been there since the 1800s. The land of the Olympic Park was a massive rail yard. Lines to it have been progressively added though. The Jubliee line being extended there in the 90s was probably the biggest kickstarter for regeneration, supporting the Docklands/Canary Wharf and Greenwich Peninsula re-developments. Stratford I think was begining to the planned since then. If you're refering to Stratford International though, then yeah you're right. They added it with the redevelopment in mind, although the Olympics wasn't guaranteed when it was approved (station opened 2007, Olympics awarded 2006). I'm not too sure whether Westfield was planned before the Olympics was announced.

[@stevenroshni1228]

The fact that Tokyo had to go on without spectators or visitors shows why it's important to make sure the whole investment isn't for one event.

[@ems7623]

Yes, but Tokyo in 2020-21 is hardly a normal situation. It isn't the example I would choose.

[@matebiA2]

It's not like they planned to not have spectators 🙄

[@BillyPhilipRwoth]

I visited the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in 2019, and I was impressed at how the facilities are still put to proper use, and not left to rot away like in other Olympic cities. Good job London!

[@davidsherley2652]

I live in the US. I’ve visited or worked in NYC, Chicago, Boston, Phoenix, Cincinnati, Columbus (OH), San Francisco, Atlanta, Dallas & Seattle. I’ve also done a six week stint in London. The level of thoughtfulness and quality of architecture and urban planning in London is head and shoulders above anything I’ve seen in the US. The London Olympic venue is just one of countless examples.

[@peterd788]

London has to use very creative designs for its major buildings because of ancient rules and having to mix the very old with the very new. London being one of the world's two Global++ cities means it was capable of absorbing the infrastructure built for the Olympics. Some host cities can't do that so things are left to rot.

[@leohickey4953]

That's nice to hear, David. Although I don't consider every aspect of the legacy to be perfect, I'd be happy to give it a strong thumbs up overall. I remember where I was when the award was made, and my daily commute took me past the Olympic Park while it was being developed. It was saddening at the time how out-of-synch my own optimism seemed to be with many people predicting calamity of some kind, or believing that the whole thing would be a waste of money. As it turned out, I loved the 2012 Olympics and almost all of the claims made in this video are still true in 2024. I live a short distance from Stratford and regularly visit the park, which is still popular and well-used, as are the permanent venues.

[@canismajoris6733]

Hmm, turns out that giving Olympics to countries that aren't insanely corrupt or poor turns out better than the alternative.

[@mildlydispleased3221]

The UK is insanely corrupt and isn't that rich, luckily, much of the Olympic park redevelopment was handled by the Mayor of London and not the extremely corrupt central government.

[@ElsenyoPol]

Barcelona 92, the best modern Olympic Games are also the ones which have been the most transformative and beneficial to the host city. From the Olympic Port to the “villa olímpica” housing, to infrastructure like “les rondes” or the expansion of Barcelona’s “El Prat Airport”. An incredible success story that changed millions of residents’ lives.

[@shippou21]

Yes, I think few countries actually able to retain the glory of the Olympics venues. I have been to Korea, and they reserve the facilities very well, either for sporting events or entertainment events or just for pleasure/picnic places.

[@mercury6765]

The Barcelona Olympic park is super nice - great views of the city too

[@harryfrisch]

Don’t forget Sydney too, they still use their venues regularly and the area of all the stadiums have become a living space for thousands

[@prappsy]

Barcelona 92 was a great Olympics (I'll never forget the city view behind the divers) although i'd personally put London and Sydney just a notch higher. They're certainly by far the best 3 games in my lifetime (since the late 70s). Atlanta 96 being the worst by some considerable distance.

[@caseysmith544]

@@prappsy Atlanta was basically a scramble to find a venue since they had mostly poor choices, like Saudi Arabia and another country with just as bad of laws for women, that the athletes would not get relief from the laws from, and another spot in USA Chicago (who has seemed to since 1980 to always bid for the next open slot for Olympics) that still has one of the highest death by gang murder rates in the USA, and some odd smog that was produced until the mid 2000's in Garry that seems to be stuck around the lower east side of the Chicago and in Gary forever.

[@Val-kp6fs]

They say the stadiums & buildings in Rio are rotting & basically condemnable. I hope that all cities that are granted host of the games take a note from London and think about their future & local citizens when building all of the Olympic venues.

[@Jerrymouse79]

London could host again because we planned it properly.

[@mayowas]

@@dolapokosebinu5274 what’s it called ?

[@dannynoakes7093]

Was at the London Stadium on Saturday just gone to watch West Ham, it’s amazing to see how the area is beautifully kept clean and still looks as good as new, I think that it’s been a good job to do so, and I hope it remains for years to come

[@sambevins215]

Atalanta game?

[@AmberKingmusic]

I'm from Southern California and when I saw the plan for The 2028 games I was very happy because LA has the infrastructure already and they are making use of that. Using the local universities dorms as the Olympic and Paralympic village just makes sense, making use of the different stadiums and event centers because we really don't need more I can name 5-6 just off the tip of my head and they are all within 30-40 mins of each other. I think there are 2 formulas for a great games and legacy after those which build for the community like the London Games and those which use the Community like LA's plan, I was really sad Rio just didn't care about it's local communities and saw it as a very temporary event.

[@ankanmaiti9864]

But where are the students going, who were otherwise staying in those damn dorms?

[@AmberKingmusic]

@@ankanmaiti9864 it's summer Olympics, most students will be with family or in other accommodations some may be on campus but would be in another dorm building. UCLA's dorms consist of 17 high rise towers plus another 5 complexes I'm sure there will be enough room.

[@kalvin1123]

@@AmberKingmusic Exactly. Los Angeles 1984 was the most successful Olympics. For 2028, they'll basically follow the same plan. The lucky thing LA has are all of the colleges and universities in and around the city. LA doesn't have to build anything new - at all.

[@AmberKingmusic]

@Mick&Rorty definitely especially if the wild fires aren't under control.

[@GregoryFariss]

@@AmberKingmusic some dorms at UCLA were originally built in '84 for athlete housing with the plan for them being student dorms.

[@EruksTeejay]

Wooow, just few days ago, I was just talking about how the London 2012 Olympics experience has been my best Olympics moment ever. London really did put up a great show!!!! Glad to know that the Legacy is preserved. 🥰🥰

[@Q_QQ_Q]

How many other Olympics have you seen ?

[@UnseenSpirit]

@@Q_QQ_Q it's his only one.

[@michaelt8682]

as a londoner, i dont think it matters if it ends up costing money. public spaces and the legacy of huge publicly funded projects should benefit the community

[@pjtufty66]

It's costing Money because the Football club dont pay for anywhere near enough . The tax payer still pays for the floodlights goal nets & corner flags . WHIFC pay a measly amount for what they have .

[@leohickey4953]

Broadly-speaking I agree. Let's face it, that part of Stratford was a toxic dump before redevelopment, but the park is very well used these days. Not being a West Ham fan, you might expect me to have some reservations about the repurposing of the main stadium and I do. The transition was a rip-off for the London tax payer, the stadium is the wrong shape for football, so that the sightlines are not great (I've visited as an "away" fan), and the Hammers' supporters have found it hard to replicate the atmosphere of the Boleyn Ground, but Lyn Garner was right that they did have to pick an anchor tenant because there isn't enough demand for track and field to sustain it alone.

[@fayesouthall6604]

Bullseye

[@scottwhitley3392]

We bash ourselves but the Olympic park, CrossRail and Queensferry crossing proves we can still build big projects. Wish the government would get fully behind HS2.

[@dilendraratnayake8689]

well the rio stadiums are gone to the dog after the olympics and this is 1000 times better

[@scorpioninpink]

It doesn't help that Brazil also hosted the World Cup in 2014. It was a double the headache for them as they needed not only to built the facilities for the Olympics but also building the stadiums for the World Cup around Brazil. The one in Brasilia was actually finished AFTER the world cup which is a waste as Brasilia doesn't even have a football team.

[@scorpioninpink]

It doesn't help that Brazil also hosted the World Cup in 2014. It was a double the headache for them as they needed not only to built the facilities for the Olympics but also building the stadiums for the World Cup around Brazil. The one in Brasilia was actually finished AFTER the world cup which is a waste as Brasilia doesn't even have a football team.

[@MargotDobbie]

​@@scorpioninpinkWhat you mean they didn't have to say yes.

[@cmw3737]

I go through the Olympic park nearly every day and the restoration of the river and canal is by far the best legacy. The industrial wasteland around the polluted river is totally transformed for the good of the whole East London community. While there's some criticism of the Legacy Corporation's commercial committee prescriptions for new development of Hackney Wick and Fish Island across the canal where I now live and a lot of artist and creatives have lived in industrial buildings since well before the Olympics, it is improving the area overall even if it's at the expense of gentrification in an area that some say didn't need to be part of the redevelopment. Trying to maintain that warehouse feel and community of individuality while centrally planning and prescribing the design of every new modern building was never going to work but that's one of the few criticisms of the legacy plan. The London Olympics site was built in an urban area that was a post industrial wasteland surrounded by Stratford on one side and Hackney on the other so the value and impact on surrounding communities, some of which are very close and densely populated, was bound to be great and it's still growing.

[@saltyseabear]

one thing that is also missing from this is the media centre up at Here East at the top of the park was turned into Loughborough University (London Campus) - Loughbourgh famously known for sports and getting your P.E. Teacher Qualifications and also BT Sport have a studio still in the building and there are many other retail units right on the canal that are also always busy. As someone who volunteered at the Games and still volunteers at the park as well as at large sporting events. I always feel its like coming home when I go to the Olympic Park for the first time in a while. I still get goosebumps and remember how the games brought the city together. I won't forget the opening ceremony either and how it showcased the UK and also that we have hosted the modern games now 3 times. Great you showed the London 2017 Athletics in this video that was a massive event for the stadium, just a pity you didn't show some of the annual events that happen in the Velodrome and on the Hockey and Tennis pitches. Also London has a basketball team that play at the Copper Box. Let's hope this legacy continues, oh and sometimes you get to see Tom Daly and the other divers at the Aquatic Centre training.

[@davidjamessussex1671]

It really irritates me when people seem to think it’s a luxury for the public to have nice things. For the London tax payer and the British tax payer it is not unreasonable for some of that tax to go to funding brilliant public amenities. The idea amenities for the public good can only exist if they’re self funding is clearly quite mad.

[@mikeE997]

This is a very interesting viewpoint. The self funding philosophy is taken to a hypocritical extreme in America, where basic public services are considered failures if they aren't self sustainable (a notable example is the postal service, which is no longer self sustainable due to an irresponsible change in petition funding policy in 2006). But this is also true to some basic infrastructure and maintenance of old infrastructure. The idea that nice things be available as a public service is absolutely out of the question, which I think is a shame.

[@beeble2003]

@@mikeE997 Watch John Oliver's episode about stadiums. Many US sports stadia receive huge amounts of public funding, which is essentially just supporting corporate profit rather than anything in the local community. All extorted by the threat of "Well, if you don't give us nice things, we'll leave and set up in a city that will."

[@Muppetkeeper]

Well said, most of my taxes go to shit, I’m happy that some of them make some people happy.

[@socialistsolidarity]

I used to live around the corner from the Olympics and had a chance to see some of the games. By far, London 2012 was a success story, and I think it's great that it's still open to the public.

[@Baresi-Unico-Capitano]

'success story' at a cost of 1bn to the taxpayer.

[@johnegerszeghy9818]

Money well spent.

[@AKASANJEEWA]

I was here 2 weeks ago and it's a bustling area with the nearby mall and all the offices moved in to this area. Its amazing how things worked out better than other olympic villages

[@russetmantle1]

I first moved to the area in the mid 1990s, and I remember at the time the Evening Standard (the local London newspaper) carried an opinion piece about Stratford in which the writer called Stratford "the toilet of London". And the thing is...they were absolutely correct. It was an utter dump back then. The first big bit of progress was when they remodelled the railway station back in about 2000 or so, but what really made the difference was the Olympics. It's a great place now and the Olympic Park is a wonderful amenity for locals.

[@eXclusive1]

I usually play football at either Chobnam Academy or Bobby Moore Academy and the transformation has been quite spectacular. Including the Westfield Shopping Centre and the new high rise office building and luxury housing Stratford seems to be creating almost an isolated spectacle almost like the film elysium- I am not well off, I'd say middle income but I don't see ordinary people in and around that square milage.

[@PastPresented]

You may be misusing the word "ordinary" there

[@stephentuthill4598]

It's good to know that we get something right in the UK, once in a while...

[@somersetfan1]

Totally different calibre of people running the show...

[@yedis1750]

We get a lot right really...long as the government stay out of it. We just dont acknowledge it very often, choosing to listen to negativity and nay sayers. A bit of positivity and optimism from the Aussies and the Yanks would do us Brits some good.

[@dogsnads5634]

The report does gloss over the London Stadium though.... The entire Olympic Park was a triumph but....the stadium itself was a disaster. The arguments that the spokeswoman from the LLDC mentioned around the legacy use of the stadium were never resolved, as a result they ended up building a great stadium for the Olympics but it needed near total rebuilding to make it suitable as a football venue. Given that the stadium had been built for c£700 million for 80,000 seats, but then needed a further £280 million spent to make it suitable for its post games role as a 66,000 seat capacity stadium despite the fact that it was billed as being capable of easy conversion illustrates how much of a cock-up it was...all because its use afterwards had not been defined correctly (mainly due to arguments about its use as an athletics venue).

[@BossySwan]

We get a lot right 🇬🇧

[@idot3331]

Funny how London is almost entirely held by Labour MPs.

[@cmair77]

Used to visit Stratford all the time but moved away in 2010, look forward to seeing up close what it looks like once I can go back to the UK

[@aarons745]

London have smashed it out of the park in terms of sustaining the venues and having a successful legacy

[@okunrin3]

Thanks for this video, I did request it when had a report Olympic venues going to waste. I lived in east London (near Stratford) before the 2012 and after 2012. The difference is congruent to night and day. From a waste, scrap yard to top city centre. I even now work on the 12 floor of a new office building that will never ever have been there, if not for the olympics. One thing that’s not mentioned here is the new community, all the athletes accommodations are now apartments, there’s a very big shopping centre, offices, schools, medical centre etc. Anyone can go an swim in a proper Olympic pool for £3, I can go and indoor cycle racing, all the world class infrastructure is open to anyone. The transport infrastructure in Stratford is probably top 5 in the whole world. This is one of the few government project that looks fantastic. I just hope there’s no report on massive corruption, because that will spoil it for me. For now, I love it and I’m proud!

[@kashattack]

0:13 that gave me chills! As an East Londoner I was so excited when we got the Olympics and its legacy is something that benefits the entire region. Those old enough that live in East London will remember what a dump Stratford was before the Olympics and now it's a lovely area to visit, work in and live.

[@jubrilliant4835]

As an East Londoner, I was HYPED when I heard that Stratford was gonna become an Olympic Village

[@imviiku]

Barcelona , Sydney , Beijing & London were pretty Successful Olympics Campaign .

[@kanitha1982]

Well done London! Love their foresight and vision - and leadership!

[@rufdymond]

Although on a much smaller scale Manchester was a U.K. trailblazer for this with the 2002 Commonwealth Games - all the venues have remained in use. The aquatics centre is used by the public, the athletes village is now apartments fully occupied, the site houses the national squash centre, the national taekwondo centre, (recent national success), the centre for U.K. cycling (more success in track and BMX cycling) and of course the stadium is now the home of Manchester City. In addition to this, the whole of the area has had massive regeneration and continued investment has continued to pour into the area…..i.e a new 24,000 seat indoor arena is currently being constructed. It was a catalyst for the regeneration of a part of the city that had been neglected for years.

[@dogsnads5634]

In many ways Manchester also benefitted from Sheffields experience with the 1991 World Student Games where it got world class facilities like Ponds Forge, but didn't think enough about what would happen after (Don Valley Stadium being the biggest legacy problem).

[@sickpup820]

Manchester lol. You wouldn't have had it without Sheffield in 1991.

[@mark.k7206]

A few weeks ago i walked around Athens. The Legacy is non existent. The cost an enormous drain for generations to come

[@hertears14]

If only Brazil thought things through like this…

[@lnisme0295]

remember that brazil was and is still in an economic crisis, they do not have the funding to spend

[@hertears14]

@@lnisme0295 Obviously they’re in a pretty bad situation right now, and it wasn’t a priority if theirs to make the Olympic stadiums last long term. However, it can be argued that they should have used the money spent on the Olympics to better their own situation and improve the lives of their citizens in the first place 🤷‍♀️

[@chrisstephens6194]

The mountain bike track is still in use in Essex

[@talibjalloh928]

London Olympics is one of the best Olympics ever with a sterling legacy. Since 2012, team GB have been bringing up loads of medals in athletes and sport in general...

[@alisonsmith4801]

That's thanks in the main to the National Lottery, for years British athletics was seriously underfunded or Athlete's worked full time jobs and trained at night or weekends, and the occasional medal was the result of extreme hard work, now our Olympic teams are funded to live and train free from having to work etc, centres of excellence around the UK encourage kids from a very young age to train for a sport they like, and from this we are reaping whole generations of exceptional young sportsmen and woman.

[@UnseenSpirit]

@@alisonsmith4801 most nations don't have funding. I am a boxing fan and was shocked that boxers had to get their own sponsorship and funding other than flights. I'm not sure how it was for Tokyo mind you.

[@alisonsmith4801]

@@UnseenSpirit The British Boxing team received over £ 12 million for this Olympic cycle and walked away with 6 medals 2 of them gold, in British athletic you need to constantly be successful and achive the plan of the projected medals in order to have your funding.

[@geniusphil1]

I live near the park, and it's been a wonderful transformation from wasteland to Olympic host site to new community. It's also beautifully landscaped too. Really, if you're in London some time, please visit. Some impressive architecture too!

[@KatharineOsborne]

I got to see Tom Daley win bronze in diving at the aquatics centre. We were in the add-on seats which were a little vertigo inducing, but it was still an awesome unforgettable moment. You could wander the Olympic Park and it was really gorgeous even then and I kept hoping it would always stay open. It’s really clear they had been planning for long term use. It’s one of my favourite parks in London (along with Richmond Park and Trent Park near Cockfosters station). It’s less crowded than many other parks, so I think it’s still a bit of a secret. It’s great for cycling, running, walking, bird watching, chilling, tanning, BBQing, children, hanging out, whatever. It’s got rowing I think too, as it has a gentle river going through it. There are waterfowl but nothing obnoxious like swans or geese that are at several other London parks. It’s beautifully landscaped without being overly landscaped, and so I find it a really calming place. The area around it is very well-developed and cycle-friendly. The new housing looks great (mostly missing middle type stuff) mixed with nice open plaza type areas and a smattering of restaurants and shops. It’s very appealing and I would consider living there. A lot of London is Victorian terraced housing or high rises which is still a lot better than suburban sprawl and single family zoning but is still sometimes a little claustrophobic, and this is a well-balanced alternative (if you geek out about urban planning like I do, this style fixes the sins of other residential zoning types). And as other commenters have mentioned it’s really well connected although it is oddly difficult to get there by bus (I don’t even live that far away).

[@batandball617]

Tokyo is on the back foot from the start. Without the revenue from spectators during the games and amid continuing COVID-19 restrictions they have their work cut out.

[@KM-00]

And it had to go ahead to please the IOC and their TV partners

[@thesigi4343]

Munich Olympic venues are still in use and that Olympics has taken place in 1972. From turning the Olympic village in student homes and using the Stadions for music events or sporting events and the list goes on

[@ns7023]

México '68 facilites are still in full use 53 years after the Games. México City were one of the cheapest and best organized Games in history. All expenses were actually turned into public investment with social benefit. From the buses, the Olympic Village, medical facilites, everything. You can read through their history and they have been the only sustainable ganes made by a developing country in history. And overall the most fun ganes ever. The last time the public was allowed to totally interact with the athletes, before the Munich tragedy.

[@paulm2467]

I remember it, it was another great games, well ran, well organised and well thought out, the only minor problem was the altitude and there’s nothing you can do about that, it’s also got the best climate I’ve ever lived in.

[@shmookins]

And I am sure in the future there will be olympians that fell in love with a sport and trained in these very venues.

[@DonDuracell]

I'm regularly in Norway and have seen some of the Lillehammer '94 Winter Olympic venues. The ski jumping venue in Lillehammer, the ice hockey arena in Gjøvik (built inside a mountain) and the figure skating, short track and speed skating venue in Hamar are still used by the public.

[@MySupermexico]

The Olympic venues in Mexico City are an example of how these sporting architectures can be adapted to future generations. The Estadio Olímpico Universitario has suffered minor changes in its architecture and it has been a World Heritage Site since 2007. It has hosted two FIFA World Cups and now it hosts matches of the national football league and university-related events. Other venues like the Olympic pool, the Palacio de los Deportes, and the Auditorio Nacional had been opened to the public for sporting and entertainment events.

[@j2a45]

Would it be a better option if the Olympics were planned to hold at the same location consecutively for multiple years? For instance, Tokyo could host in 2021, 24, 28 and 32. The locations get continuous use of their infrastructure, incentive to maintain them and would (ostensibly) improve on hosting the olympics with every instance. The IOC gets the stability of working with a single partner over an extended timeframe. What would be possible downsides?

[@PastPresented]

The biggest downside is that viewers in part of the world, get used to never seeing major Olympic events live. For example, when it's primetime, 8pm, in Athens, Greece, it's the middle of the working day in Athens, Georgia, USA, and it's the middle of the night in Tokyo & Beijing

[@RaymondHng]

The Olympics is a global event and therefore, it cannot remain exclusive to one nation. Tokyo cannot host 2024, 2028, and 2032 because those years have been awarded to Paris, Los Angeles, and Brisbane. The contracts have been signed.

[@ganonk79]

@@RaymondHng But it's a reasonable question. Already, fewer and fewer cities are even bidding for the Olympics. That's why Paris and Los Angeles were awarded at the same time - they were the only ones who were still interested for 2024. To offset the cost of hosting, future Olympics could be awarded for two (I think 3 would be too many) consecutive Olympics competitions. But that would cause its own problems. What would cities do with the venues in the intervening years? They can't convert them for their legacy purposes. They can't start to move people into those areas because that space would be needed for the next games. Unfortunately the single Olympics may be the only reasonable way to allow the venues to have a legacy.

[@RaymondHng]

​@@ganonk79 Holding the Olympics solely in one location would be a violation of the Olympic Charter. The Olympic Charter is the codification of the fundamental principles of Olympism, and the rules and bye-laws adopted by the International Olympic Committee. It governs the organization, actions, and functioning of the Olympic Movement and establishes the conditions for the celebration of the Olympic Games. In other words, it's the organization's constitution. The Olympic Charter states in the 3rd principle of Olympism: _The Olympic Movement is the concerted, organised, universal and permanent action, carried out under the supreme authority of the IOC, of all individuals and entities who are inspired by the values of Olympism. _*_It covers the five continents._*_ It reaches its peak with the bringing together of the world’s athletes at the great sports festival, the Olympic Games. Its symbol is five interlaced rings._ In Rule 1.2 The Olympic Movement, Mission and role of the IOC: _The mission of the IOC is to promote Olympism _*_throughout the world_*_ and to lead the Olympic Movement._ The new IOC bidding process was approved at the 134th IOC Session on 24 June 2019 in Lausanne, Switzerland. The key proposals, driven by the relevant recommendations from Olympic Agenda 2020, are: Establish a permanent, ongoing dialogue to explore and create interest among cities/regions/countries and National Olympic Committees for any Olympic event Create two Future Host Commissions (Summer and Winter Games) to oversee interest in future Olympic events and report to the IOC executive board Give the IOC Session more influence by having non-executive board members form part of the Future Host Commissions. The IOC also modified the Olympic Charter to increase its flexibility by removing the date of election from 7 years before the games and changing the host as a city from a single city/region/country to multiple cities, regions, or countries. In Rule 32 Celebration of the Olympic Games: _Where deemed appropriate, the IOC may elect several cities, or other entities, such as regions, states or countries, as host of the Olympic Games._

[@KM-00]

But how are the corrupt IOC going to make their money?! Shame on you! lol

[@JoshWaller]

Finally a video that shows the true transformation of London 👏 A true transformation, and a truly beautiful area now. I love going to the Olympic park and seeing all the venues/history it has. Such a beautiful place.

[@Baresi-Unico-Capitano]

Whilst the taxpayer was shafted with a near 1bn bill. transformation, my ass.

[@JoshWaller]

@@Baresi-Unico-Capitano Why do you suggest we were shafted? Don’t you think there were any benefits from the Olympics?

[@Baresi-Unico-Capitano]

@@JoshWaller If I write down all of the facts, would you actually read them?

[@JoshWaller]

@@Baresi-Unico-Capitano I would and I’d give a detailed response. Genuinely interested since imo the economic and social benefits that came from hosting the games outweighed the negatives.

[@UnseenSpirit]

I lived in Hackney Wick which is a 10 min walk away. The Olympics developed the area a lot. The area was poor and undesirable. Westfield and the apartments have made it look pretty. The stadium is used by a football club now. The copper box is a gym and hosts boxing events. The velodrome is busy. The swimming poor is used by people. I've been to the venue that did the canoeing for white water rafting. I've cycled box Hill (already there) I believe there may have been a cycling venue is Southend due to Olympics signs etc (I now live here) which is popular for cyclists and walkers Overall the games were a success even though I was apathetic about it.

[@Makoto778]

In terms of Winter Olympics, Vancouver in 2010 did a good job of building a legacy as well. Our venues are in good shape, and in public use, though it should be noted that a lot of the big venues were already around before the olympics and only needed some renovation work to make it look nicer. Vancouver is currently bidding for the 2030 olympics due to the most of the venues being in good shape, with options to move some events to Calgary if needed (Calgary hosted the 1988 winter olympics, and still has good facilities used for training athletes).

[@charlielynes]

I agree. Having spent a lot of time in Vancouver and towns up the Sea to Sky (i90), since 2010, it was clear to me just how much these communities benefited from the new infrastructure.

[@ivanb4816]

They have such a wonderful park there now ... and full of people

[@oxycrat]

I think Barcelone and London opened the door and thank you for that, we (in Paris) are trying to follow the path and with some luck are trying to improve it ❤

[@leohickey4953]

Bon chance! The Opening Ceremony is today, and although I cannot visit Paris this time, I'm certain it will be a great success.

[@janelc1843]

For Paris 2024, I hope they'll follow the same path

[@Justgirlmustache]

I hope so to

[@nitram6700]

Paris will use mostly existing or temporary venues. I think the only venues to build are the Olympic Village and the swimming pool.

[@thegoodgunner]

Paris doesnt have to build much as they got most of facilty already ,only few of them and some upgrade on some older one unlike the UK who concentrate only few event after the game are over , france compete in most of them, so many of venue of most event already exist before of Olympic was awarded

[@arthurballs9632]

Residents tell me this place is a nightmare if someone needs an ambulance due to he nigh on complete lack of roads or even access just for emergency vehicles onto the pedestrian walkways. It's also a right pain for us delivery drivers. Wembley did it right, it has roads.

[@simonacott7583]

The plan for a PL team (West Ham or Tottenham) to move into the stadium was at the heart of the legacy plans. Without either club close by it would be a very underused stadium closing millions not only to have built but to operate.

[@lichin11]

Wow, who would imagine that the British would put a lot of effort into properly planning things out? Brilliant!

[@B-A-L]

Everyone in Britain actually.

[@lichin11]

​@@B-A-L Exactly, but change that to everyone on Earth. It's a given.

[@yedis1750]

That's a bit mean and actually untrue. I'm guessing you must be a self deprecating Brit lol

[@JootjeJ]

@@yedis1750 I think "self deprecating" and "Brits" are pretty much synonymous.

[@heinovontettenborn5674]

Have a look at Munich: the „Olympic park“ under the unique huge glass roof, that covers the olympic stadium for 75.00 people, the olympic hall for up to 10.000 spectators and the swimming hall are still a mayor attraction of the city and host many sport and show events over the last 52 years. From the Rolling Stones to track and field world championships all kind of events take place there. Over the weekends it is a crowded area with live concerts and other events. The Olympic village was planned to be used as a student village for some of the 120.000 students in Munich, and still is used this way. This is what I call substantial planning…

[@idtyu]

Some of the Beijing ones are doing really well, like the nest stadium and aquatic center.

[@elituray]

Now let’s talk about property prices, community development, re-zoning of Stratford , distribution of profits etc.

[@eddiel7635]

Let’s talk about wha t a sh£t hole it was before the games. Strangely, if more people want to move to an area, house prices go up. House prices in Stratford have gone up a lot less than other areas in east London, like Hackney.

[@sreckolisinac3739]

London was my best Olympic experience in terms of organization and broadcasting until today with Tokyo was just a tiny bit behind, and I think if there is no Covid, the 2020 Tokyo would be must better. I have a high expectation for Paris 2024.

[@yedis1750]

I've bee to a few Olympic games and London was so far the friendliest, best organised, best crowds and support for all the competitors. It was very special. I do feel sorry for the Japanese though. Hopefully they have got the legacy right and they can enjoy the facilities and support up and coming Japanese sports people for years to come

[@lucysmart6472]

Completely agree! London was incredible and the whole country came together, if Covid didn’t happen Tokyo would’ve been just as great

[@peterd788]

In normal times great cities like London, Paris and Tokyo would always put on a wonderful show.

[@kc7978]

This might change soon. The olympic constructions are under an independent management for the continued developmemt and sustainability of the project. However it is soon to be going back to the council. How the council will deal with this has yet to be seen, but hopefully continue this success.

[@ianism3]

"to host the olympics is a once in a lifetime opportunity" Beijing 2008, Beijing 2022 Turin 2006, Milan 2026 (they are under two hours away by car)

[@beeble2003]

London itself has hosted the Games after gaps of 40 and 64 years -- both well within a lifetime, and the 40-year gap would have been 36 if it hadn't been for the war. The closest that's actually happened was that Innsbruck hosted the winter games in 1964 and then again in 1976 after Denver decided not to host. Innsbruck is only 60 miles (100km) from Cortina d'Ampezzo, which hosted in 1956. Then, you have Garmisch-Partenkirchen, which hosted in 1936 and was rescheduled as host again in 1940 after war between Japan and China meant the games couldn't be in Sapporo as planned. Cortina was scheduled to host in 1944, and is only 80 miles (130km) from Garmisch-Partenkirchen. So you have the 1936, 1940, 1944, 1956, 1964 and 1976 all supposed to happen within about a 40-mile radius of the Brenner Pass on the Italian-Austrian border. Of course, a lot of those examples were cities that got the games at the last minute because the intended host was unavailable -- even London 1908 was supposed to be in Rome, until Vesuvius erupted. In that situation, it's very likely that a host from the recent past will be chosen, as they still have the facilities. Also, most of the examples I gave are for the winter Olympics, which are much more constrained for location. Well, they were in the 20th century. :cough: BeijingartificialsnowFFS :cough:

[@Titot182]

The olympics transformed an absolute shithole to a place that inspires hope. I lived in the East End of London (Plaistow, Stratford etc) in the late 80s and early 90s and I remember that whole area of Hackney Wick being absolutely derelict.

[@TheGamingAlong]

London 2012 is the best olympics.

[@notlihvic]

Good job London unlike some Olympic venues that were left abandoned and decaying over the years like Athens and Rio.

[@yengsabio5315]

Good for UK! The one used in Brazil, based on a documentary, is already (if I'm not mistaken) already falling into ruins.

[@rodneymarkestrella6639]

Meanwhile in RiO Olympics, facilities are getting rot, no maintenance.

[@NeoDerGrose]

No word about those venues that aren't there anymore.

[@MsReads4Fun]

Salt Lake did a wonderful job after the 2002 Winter Olympics. The stadium was converted into a football stadium for the University of Utah. The Olympic Village was converted into student housing. All of the ski routes are in use along with the ski jump. The ski jump is converted into a giant slip-and-slide during the summer. The hockey and figure skating stadiums are still in use. What can I say? We love our winter sports in Utah.

[@MarloSoBalJr]

LA shouldn't have a problem because damn near every venue need for the Olympics is already in-place; for some, a few modifications but the host venue can either be Memorial Stadium in downtown LA or SoFi in Inglewood

[@jennypack217]

Salt Lake City. Utah is still benefiting from the venues now.

[@Robdc89]

Well I hope so, they wanna host the Winter Olympics in the 2030

[@HomeboyHotel]

Although not an explicit sporting venue, I highly recommend you do an in-depth story on the O2 Arena (aka the millennial dome). Started as a New Labour white elephant govt project, now transformed into a globally recognised multi-purpose entertainment venue + shopping district + restaurants/bars + the subsequent development around the area (e.g. Greenwich Peninsula).

[@emman.5995]

Don't bid for Olympics if you can't maintain the area. Rio is an example. It's not like rockets that could burn up in the atmosphere. Either tear it down fast/maintain it/repurpose the area.

[@shoemcshoe9873]

The only reason I am for the Brisbane 2032 games. The city needs the infrastructure and I feel we will be similar to Sydney and London where whole new areas of the city are transformed for the better for ever.

[@KM-00]

Do you seriously expect any rational thought from Scotty from Marketing and his Murdoch buddies? Good luck.

[@flamingfrancis]

Is the Gabba not being levelled and totally rebuilt? That sort of thing is definitely NOT what happened in Sydney and later on in London (as seen in above video). Sydney Olympic Park was built on a former pit used for brickmaking, an abbatoir site and other wastelands. There are lots of parallels with the rehab of the London site later on.

[@shoemcshoe9873]

@@flamingfrancis I don’t know if you are from Brisbane or not but I go to the Gabba regularly as a Brisbane heat member and other tests and ODI’s and the Gabba and the area around it needs a serious revamp for the amount of people attending games. While you can exit anywhere, the majority of the crowd is headed down chalk st towards the city. There is only 2 bus pick up zones, both being in the bottle neck area. It’s cooked

[@RobertSmith-up9rz]

Let's not kid ourselves here. The way London can push a "legacy" is by not giving us the number for retrofitting all their infrastructures. If you have to spend hundreds and hundreds of millions after the game to transform your venues and the olympic park, then it's still a cost to be added to the olympics.

[@tomaskalyniuk4233]

Vancouver literally uses all there Olympic facilities

[@hanssolos3699]

since london did so well in managing post olympics, it should be the permanent summer olympics venue. Host nation pays city of london and showcase their own country's tourism just like the world expo. The idea of bringing olympics around the world is a burden to every host countries. Post-covid, it is better with a permanent location.

[@gareebbanker9966]

Nobody is forcing host countries to bid for it.

[@stevenroshni1228]

Being able to show off venues and a city can inspire positive development. I wonder if building sections only popular enough for the Olympics (like expanded seating for swimming) can be moved to the next city and reassembled like Legos.

[@treypohe4593]

Many of the venues built for the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games are still regularly used today - 24 years after the games ended. It's pretty cool seeing how other host cities can build lasting infrastructure post-games too.

[@davidbo7]

It always blows my mind how unbelievably wasteful and irresponsible some countries/cities are willing to be (Rio, Athens, Sochi) just to host a TWO WEEK event. The Olympics could be a huge benefit if done right but it’s seems like some people just insist on only considering the short moment and pissing away ungodly amounts of public resources

[@eddyk3]

60,000 fans filled that stadium to watch a Diamond League meet last week. That's the Olympic Legacy in action.

[@madan2241]

Sadly Rio didn't learn from London

[@HuhWhat101]

It would be great if we could find out about other Olympic host areas of London like Shepard's Bush and Wembley.

[@ella_komiya]

Maybe, but they didn’t really build anything specific that was permanent for the games in those areas compared to Stratford. Wembley was rebuilt and opened in 2007 to continue to be the home of English football. As for Shepard’s Bush, the greenery space was suppose to be ready for the Olympics but was delayed, not really a project of using the space post Olympics like Stratford was in this video.

[@Muppetkeeper]

There is more than the legacy too. Almost all the unneeded “bits of Olympics” were sold off after the games. I have a huge whiteboard that was used by the teams, three of the large parasols and much more. Also, the first “missing bridge” mentioned wasn’t scrapped, it’s at the British Triathlon headquarters in Leeds, where it’s used to gain access over the purpose built training track. Almost nothing was wasted.

[@melsyoutube]

saw beyoncé at the london stadium twice in 2018 😭💕

[@oldskoolmusicnostalgia]

Sydney & London were the only sustainable Olympics of this millennium.

[@darreldennis7115]

Not true. The past two LA Olympics was profitable. For LA 2028 is extremely cost-effective. Unlike other games in other countries, the US government is paying $0 for the LA games. Everything is coming from the private sector and LA2028 is set to be profitable. They only have to construct the temporary swimming venue and the UCLA campus will serve as the Olympics village.

[@oldskoolmusicnostalgia]

All good but I did say "of this millennium". Which doesn't cover 1984, clearly.

[@travelleryu]

Not to nitpick but Tokyo would prolly be too in the long term, tournament might have been a loss but Japan can reutilize those stadiums

[@BossySwan]

@@darreldennis7115 they weren’t in this millennium though

[@isabellapetch5107]

I regularly go swimming at the aquatics centre including the big inflatable assault courses they have there. I also had training at some of the smaller football pitches around the park for my academy team, and then have watched many games in the main stadium which is obviously now West Ham's home ground. London has done incredibly well in integrating this park into normal life and not just for special events. Bravo Sadiq Khan.

[@cafepablo]

It would be interesting to contrast this with Rio 2016.

[@sglenny001]

I wish the games went across the country

[@WeMissRevis]

I feel like Lake Placid could be an interesting comparison

[@paulfaulkner6299]

I originate from Barking but left in 2001 _I used to frequent the area where the Olympic Park now is when I lived there (in Barking)_ - I don't think I'd recognise the place now. Thames View in Barking itself has changed so much in the last 20 years it's unreal. But I have to say i am so glad I don't live there any more!

[@unkaren8736]

What if London wins a bid next time?? Will u use the same Sports Complex?

[@GregoryFariss]

It depends on the when London would host another games, it would be their 4th, and state of the venues. The IOC likes to spread it around. The closest a city has repeated as host is 24 years. The LA Coliseum is the only stadium to repeat as host and will host its 3rd in 2028 (1932, 1984, 2028)

[@prappsy]

@@GregoryFariss There's a decent chance London could bid for the 2036 or 2040 games apparently. The appetite for cities wanting to host these games has reduced dramatically in the past decade, to the point where Brisbane was the sole bidder for 2032. London may be the only major city who want it.

[@prappsy]

London could repurpose these venues and host an Olympics at fairly short notice. The Olympic Stadium still has a running track and still holds Diamond League meetings. The aquatic centre could have new temporary stands reintroduced. The only other venues no longer in the park are the hockey centre and the basketball arena, both of which were temporary venues that could be built again if required. Most of the rest of the venues outside the park were venues which are still there. The O2, the Excel Centre, Wembley Arena, Wembley Stadium etc.

[@GregoryFariss]

@@prappsy they should, as well as Tokyo. LA was the only one to bid in ‘84. I like how they awarded Paris and LA after a single bid.

[@irrelevance3859]

Yes

[@adamt195]

Large arenas like this are not sustainable.

[@johnfrancis757]

I think London nailed it, was a fantastic and accessible games, with the legacy to boot. Hope France and Paris can deliver a similar, if not better experience!

[@thenoxbox3871]

It’s great that London did quite well in creating a venue that lasts but it won’t be the same for every country in the future unfortunately. I think that for the sake of sustainability and the continuation of the Olympic Games a central venue needs to be permanently selected. Each new cycle of the games can still represent a selected country if made a priority. You can host the games when it’s time and the rest of the time it can host other sporting events & become a travel destination where people can visit inside Olympic village and try new sports and all sorts of other things.

[@AndrewKerr5]

London was and is the example of how a Olympics should have legacy. I have confidence that Tokyo will have its own legacy. On other games, the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games is a example of legacy and success. We have everything in place for another games if need be, in fact we hosted the 2018 European Championships with Berlin hosting the Athletics portion. If Glasgow was to go again, it would just need a new main stadium as Hampden needs replaced and a new diving centre as we used the one in Edinburgh. London and Glasgow have been blueprints on how successful games should be when games time is over. In fact, we are lucky to have that.

[@joshandallo2170]

I mean, Vancouver was picked to host the 2010 Winter Olympics because we already had venues in place, and only a few things needed to be built (Olympic Oval, Whistler Sliding Centre, Vancouver Curling Centre, to name a few), and after the Olympics, all these venues are very much used (the Oval is now a community centre with an Olympic legacy museum, and can easily be reconverted to a speed skating track if need be; the curling centre is also a well-used community centre). I think Vancouver instead of London is kind of the actual example other cities should have followed.

[@JYMAHJAMES]

did you even watch the first 5 seconds of this video? they turned the absolute gutter of london into a thriving area

[@munib1000]

All these Olympics moving from city to city is expensive and unsustainable, should really be hosted in one permanent city.

[@raakeshgr397]

A permanent city is a great idea, but it goes again the 7th value of Olympics. Equality. Equal chances for everyone. In host's case, chance to flex their soft power, construction might, management skills, logistics and so one. But always in loss amounting to billions soon after. So is the FIFA World Cup.

[@royb2st640]

Rio ashamedly left the chat🤣

[@od9694]

When west Ham moved from Upton Park into the London Stadium it hurt a lot of businesses around Upton Park, i wonder does this get factored into the cost

[@ZakhadWOW]

sadly it is a reality of commercial/business life. People follow important franchises to them.. No one area is normally ever guaranteed anything when it comes to sport Franchises... but this year in Salt Lake CIty the State an City governments put some 30 years commitment clauses in their agreement with the owner of the Jazz and the new Hockey Franchise... in order to ensure the $$ being spent on the new massive redesign and buidlup of a entertainment/sports district just east of the arena. At least we know those franchises are obligated for 30 years, unless the owner wants to be beggared with the penalties for breaking the contracts.

[@davidearl4022]

How many Development Corporation's do they need? There's at least 3 in the first 4 minutes.

[@johnrussell3961]

HS1 played a big part. The land was too unstable to build on. Where could they get thousands of tons of free gravel from? From the HS1 tunnel.