Olympic Stadium progress

The ODA began negotiations with Sir Robert McAlpine Ltd last October. A huge amount of design work and value engineering has taken place since then leading to today’s announcement. Designs will be released later in the autumn.

The MoU is legally binding and a prelude to signing the full contract at the next stage of design. It provides for the development of the stadium design and creates the potential for the early procurement of commodities such as steel and as such is a useful tool in de-risking the project and providing certainty on budget. Sir Robert McAlpine Ltd and their designers, collectively known as Team Stadium, will now be co-located with the ODA at their offices in Canary Wharf.

The brief for the Stadium is to create a spectacular 80,000 seat Stadium to host track and field events and the opening and closing ceremonies for both the Games.

After the Games it will reduce to 25,000 seats but retain the capacity to host a variety of sporting, educational, cultural and community events with athletics as its core use. Building work is due to start, on schedule, in summer 2008 as set out in the Olympic Park timetable last year.

David Higgins, Chief Executive of the ODA said:

"This is an important step forward in the delivery of the flagship venue for the Olympic Park for Games and for legacy. The Olympic Stadium is a highly complex engineering challenge with its mix of temporary and permanent seating. The project is on schedule to start construction next summer.

"I have every confidence that the designs we unveil later this year will be a worthy stage for the 2012 Games. Team Stadium is a world class consortium and we will now be working even more closely together as they co-locate with us at Canary Wharf."

Olympics Minister Tessa Jowell:

"This is another significant milestone accomplished for London 2012. The Olympic Stadium will be the iconic centrepiece of the Olympic Park and serve as a model and an inspiration - highlighting our commitment to good design, sporting excellence and a sustainable legacy.

"Sir Robert McAlpine Ltd has assembled an integrated team with the best mix of skills, experience and ideas to build an outstanding Olympic Stadium. I look forward to working closely with them and the ODA as they construct a venue that will meet the needs of elite athletes, as well as community sport, for generations to come."

Tony Aikenhead, Project Director of Team Stadium, said:

"We are tremendously proud to be working with the ODA to interpret and deliver its vision for the centrepiece of the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. We are delighted to be entering the next phase of this immensely exciting project."

– Ends –

Notes to Editors

1. The ODA received a number of national and international applications to pre-qualify for the contract. However, in compliance with the Public Contracts Regulations, the ODA started negotiations with Sir Robert McAlpine in October 2006 as its submission was the only one that met all the ODA's prequalification criteria.

2. Team Stadium consists of:
Construction Contractor - Sir Robert McAlpine Ltd
Architect - HOK Sport Ltd
Sports Venue Designer - HOK Sport Ltd
Structural Engineer - Buro Happold Ltd
Services Engineer – Buro Happold Ltd
Projects they have worked on include:

The new 60,000 seat Arsenal Stadium (Sir Robert McAlpine Ltd, HOK Sport, Buro Happold Ltd).
 
Telstra Stadium, formerly Stadium Australia (HOK Sport) the main Stadium for the Sydney Olympic Games and Paralympic Games in 2000. The Stadium held 110,000 spectators during the Games and was reconfigured to 80,000 seats after the Games.

ExCeL Exhibition Centre (Sir Robert McAlpine Ltd, Buro Happold Ltd). A 65,000m 2 exhibition space in London Docklands that will be used as a venue for the 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games.

The Eden Project (Sir Robert McAlpine Ltd, Buro Happold Ltd). Award-winning sustainable and innovative visitor attraction in Cornwall.

3. The MoU captures the key commercial terms which will form the basis of the full integrated design and construction contract and records the terms on which Sir Robert McAlpine Ltd will arrange for further design development.

Due to the immovable completion date, it is necessary to progress the design before signing the integrated design and construction contract. The contract is planned to be signed once further design development has been completed.

For further information please contact the Olympic Delivery Authority Press Office on +44 (0)203 2012 700.