The cost of converting the London Stadium "could rise" by a further £50M ($62.4M) because the owners "may rip out the retractable seating and replace it with a superior system," according to Alex Miller of the London DAILY MAIL. The issue "threatens the viability of West Ham’s ground being able to host concerts and athletics events," with engineers estimating it "could take three weeks currently to reconfigure the lower tier of the stadium" -- far longer than was initially predicted and a "turnaround time that will cause lost income." Any move now to replace the retractable seats with an "improved, hydraulic system" will cost another £50M. The stadium "needs a three-week window to host a one-day event such as a concert," plus it would incur considerable labor charges, as the current reconfiguration system "needs to be carried out manually." That period of time is not available during the football season, "meaning the stadium in its current form can only realistically host events in the summer." With the football season ending in late May and preseason games starting in early July, "the stadium will only have a two-month window to host events" (DAILY MAIL, 11/26).
