West Ham United Co-Chair Says Club 'Close' To Olympic Stadium Agreement

EPL West Ham United Co-Chair David Gold said that the club "could be days away from agreeing a move the Olympic Stadium," according to the London TELEGRAPH. The club's long wait to secure a move to the £429M ($646M) venue "has reportedly moved closer this month following talks with the the London Legacy Development Corporation." Gold revealed that an agreement "could by secured as early as March 16." Gold: "I think we're close. It's only what I'm being promised. As we speak I'm being promised March 16. We would sign the agreement then." Gold stressed the date "was not set in stone though after the potential agreement -- that would see West Ham move to the stadium in 2016 -- had suffered late glitches before." Gold said, "I'm embarrassed because I've tweeted 10 times that it's going to be next week or next month and here's a date. The date comes and goes and then I give another date. But I think we are close" (TELEGRAPH, 3/4).

BE SEATED: The BBC wrote negotiations with the LLDC "included talks on West Ham's share of the costs of converting the London 2012 venue." Retractable seating is set to be installed for West Ham matches and Gold said, "We will only go there if it is fit for use. I won't go there if I have to look over a running track. But I believe we are in a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Let's face it. They've built a stadium -- albeit wrong shape and size" (BBC, 3/4).