London’s the Financial Times newspaper claims that south London venue Crystal Palace has been ruled out as a possible alternative to the financially troubled Picketts Lock new-build in the north of the capital.
Crystal Palace is well known as a stage for international athletics but the cost of upgrading the current capacity would rule it out. There is also considerable doubt over Picketts Lock, an ambitious stadium that looks less likely to be built following Sport England’s decision not to grant funding for the project.
Picketts Lock has been the subject of a major review and alternatives in regional centres including Birmingham and Sheffield have been considered. But the International Athletics Federation has said that it will reopen the bidding process if London is unable to host the Games.
The saviour of the Games could come in the unlikely shape of Premier League soccer club Tottenham Hotspur. The club has indicated that it wants to move from its 36,000 capacity stadium to a new venue and might consider Picketts Lock. But even this would not be without its difficulties as the presence of athletics tracks around the playing field flies in the face of current soccer stadium design thinking.
