Accountancy firm Moore Stephens has been appointed to investigate the "rising costs of the transformation of the London Olympic Stadium into the home venue" for Premier League side West Ham. The firm has been "tasked with looking into the increased costs" by London Mayor Sadiq Khan, who ordered the investigation "late last year." Transformation costs have reached £323M ($393.4M), more than £50M ($60.9M) over the estimates to convert it into a 60,000-capacity multi-purpose venue (SKY SPORTS, 3/9).
Proposals to build a sports university next to Man City's Etihad Stadium as part of "wider plans to kick-start the next stage of regeneration" in east Manchester have taken a "major step forward." A "new regeneration framework" for the Eastlands area has been approved by Manchester City Council's executive. It is "envisaged that the proposed higher education campus in and around the Etihad Stadium would drive forward the growth of a sport, leisure and recreation economic cluster across the Eastlands area" (INSIDER MEDIA, 3/9).
The Madrid government’s board on Tuesday "gave initial approval of modifications to the city’s plans for the area" around Atlético Madrid’s current home, Vicente Calderón. Work "is expected to begin within 9-12 months." The project "requires the approval of the government before it can begin" (EFE, 3/9).
