Alas, like any Olympic venue there was/is a problem of what to do with a big stadium once the games are over. London has done remarkably well in converting the various sites and park into something that everyone can use. The Velo park is a great venue for cyclists and the swimming pool can host events when it's not being used by local residents. Even the Copper Box is used for all sorts of community events.

When it comes to athletics there is still the ongoing saga at Crystal Palace as they have a very good track, although the stadium is now a bit dilapidated and the Diamond league events for athletics are only during the summer months.

So, the question is, if West Ham weren't there what else could a big stadium in the middle of Stratford be used for, considering London has a number of other venues that compete with it for big events - Wembley stadium/arena and the O2?

Stadiums have been used, successfully, around the world for housing dissidents, those of a different shade, those of a different religion and folk who run on the pitch.
As Dexys Midnight Runners sang "For God sake burn it down"

Thing is, if planned correctly then it would have worked as a football stadium.

They built the “City if Manchester Stadium” for the Commonwealth games knowing that it was going to be converted to City’s ground and planned for that, and that is what London didn’t do.

Once again the North proves to be better than the South

There were enough stadiums already in London without the need to build another.
The problem with all Olympic games is this desire to try and out do the previous games regardless of the consequences.

Turn it into a dog track that can accommodate more than 250 punters!

Pie and mash fighting

It could be used as a venue for protesters to vent their spleen.

Oh, hang on a minute . . . . . . . . .

Roulette

Olympics?

JohnMac wrote:There were enough stadiums already in London without the need to build another.

Unfortunately with that idea there would be no London Olympics without a new stadium. London would simply not have got the votes to get the games.

Syncronised pitch invasions.

venue for a relegation party?

Recreate the old Roman Colosseum's Gladiator fights.

Stick the football fans who still think fighting at matches is a good idea in the middle.
Sell tickets for the event.

Romford dogs, to allow more people to enjoy an evening out.

Housing refugees and the rough sleepers around London

Barry_Chuckle wrote:Romford dogs, to allow more people to enjoy an evening out.

Can they bring their husbands?

The City of Manchester stadium had the running track permanently removed, then they dug down about 3 metres to lay the pitch. This brought the seats closer to the pitch and improved sight lines. The couldn’t do this with the Olympic stadium because they had to preserve legacy athletics usage.
At the 2012 olympics I sat behind what is now the goals, and it was clear to me then that it would never be a football stadium without a similar approach to the City if Manchester.

Gladiatorial fighting to the death, Roman style. They’ll need better candidates than the southern softies presented there yesterday though...

Feel there's no other option than using London Stadium for football. Immediate response to yesterday's disturbances is to amend the terms of WHU's lease: football club to be responsible for security in and around the ground (as it is, I assume, for other clubs), so WHU are responsible for the number of stewards and the number of police officers, as required from game to game. Consideration should also be given towards further "stadium developments" so that the stadium is "100% fit for football" - and all these further developments should be at WHU's expense.

How much did WHU get for releasing the Boleyn for new development? This should be the starting point to fund what is needed for London Stadium.

And, if WHU get relegated.... well they won't be the first club to have a ground/stadium that is bigger than their needs in the lower divisions.

West Ham!

It would make a great cricket ground for a London based 20/20 franchise

Landfill.

Burnley's southern training ground.

Public beheadings.

RAF practice bombing runs.

Spijed wrote:Unfortunately with that idea there would be no London Olympics without a new stadium. London would simply not have got the votes to get the games.

Like I said, it's become a 'Big Dick' competition (with apologies to the ladies). A 400m track is a 400m track and there was enough scope to have one at Wembley or the Emirates or improve Crystal Palace but no, lets waste even more money.

Athletics?

Rileybobs wrote:Public beheadings.

Be careful what you wish for, could happen sooner than you think.

The only other thing I think it could be useful for is cricket.

I understand the ECB were interested in having the ground when it was being built.

KeighleyClaret wrote:The City of Manchester stadium had the running track permanently removed, then they dug down about 3 metres to lay the pitch. This brought the seats closer to the pitch and improved sight lines. The couldn’t do this with the Olympic stadium because they had to preserve legacy athletics usage.
At the 2012 olympics I sat behind what is now the goals, and it was clear to me then that it would never be a football stadium without a similar approach to the City if Manchester.

They could have done the opposite and built the original seats 3m up.

I think it would be a great 20/20 ground, when we eventually get our act together and form a decent 20/20 competition

Daniel Levy had the best idea - he said if it was to be used for football they should knock it down and rebuild.

I don't know how it would work for cricket in terms of seating but it certainly doesn't work for football.

Use it for training the West Ham stewards and security staff, god knows they need it

Roman style games. They could have a head to head, West Ham v Millwall. Millwall would be the Lions of course and West Ham could use Hammers. I'm sure a good gore fest in that part of the world would go down a treat.

A training arena for football hooligans so we can compete with Russia at the hooligan games.

Monster truck events....

Caernarfon_Claret wrote:A training arena for football hooligans so we can compete with Russia at the hooligan games.

I dont think we will be going to the World cup

Watching TV perhaps.

It should be as a big garden for Mo Farah to grow his Quorn sausages.