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McAlpine to Construct Prime London Olympic Stadium
An agreement has now been signed between the organisers of the London Olympics Games and construction firm Sir Robert McAlpine Ltd. Under the terms of this, Sir Robert McAlpine Ltd will be responsible for the development and construction of the main stadium for this largest of all sporting events - to be held in the United Kingdom's capital in 2012. The stadium, which will be able to accommodate 80,000 spectators, will be used for both the opening and closing ceremonies. It will additionally play host to a number of prominent field and track events.
Sir Robert McAlpine Ltd signed the Memorandum of Understanding with the Olympic Delivery Authority, following discussions that originally began at the tail end of last year. The construction firm, in this mammoth project, will spearhead a collective that also includes the companies HOK Sport Ltd and Buro Harold Ltd. Combined, they will be known as Team Stadium, and, in light of the collaboration, will take up new office space with the Olympic Delivery Authority in the latter's building in Canary Wharf.
Following the Olympic Games, the stadium will be transformed into a substantially smaller venue; capable of accommodating 25,000 people, but still able to host a wide range of sporting, cultural and educational events. In line with the Olympic timetable, construction of the stadium will commence in Summer 2008.
Commenting on the virtues of the construction collaboration, the Olympic Delivery Authority's Chief Executive, David Higgins, stated: "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."
Mr Higgins continued: "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."
His comments were echoed by Tessa Jowell, the Olympic Minister, who added: "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."
Finally, the Project Director of Team Stadium, Tony Aikenhead, continued the positive appraisal, stating: "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.
Source - Construction International Newsdesk
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