New Venues
The Olympic Park is the main area of development in London. Located in the north-east of London in an area that was previously underused: The Lea Valley, it will be host to the new-build venues. It contains the following 'Big Five ' structures:
The Olympic Stadium - where the main athletic events will be held.
The Aquatics Centre - where the swimming events will take place
The Olympic Village - where competitors will be staying during the event
The Velodrome - where the cycling events are scheduled
The IBC/MPC - a media centre to house the international TV crews, journalists and photographers.
All 'Big Five' venues are currently 'on track', though there is wide acknowledgement amongst development engineers that 2010 will be the 'toughest' year for development contractors, as the build cycle is now at its busiest phase.
Existing Venues
The following is a list of existing sites which will be modified to host a variety of sporting events:
Earls Court in West London - usually stages exhibitions and A-list Pop/Rock star gigs, it will be hosting the Olympic Volleyball events.
ExCeL - is another large exhibition space, located east of the Docklands and will home to a range of sports including: Boxing, Fencing, Judo, Table Tennis, Weightlifting, Powerlifting and other less well-known events (such as Taekwondo) for both able-bodied athletes and Paralympians.
Greenwich Park - south of the Docklands is hosting the Equestrian and Modern Pentathlon events, with the cross country course running across the parkland.
Horseguards Parade - it sounds unlikely, but true: the Beach Volleyball will be held on the space normally reserved for 'Trooping the Colour'. The ball could bounce across into the Prime Minister's garden from there.
The Dome - in North Greenwich, will host the Basketball and artistic gymnastics. The ill-fated Millennium Dome has been successfully hosting gigs and basketball events for years now and has turned its 'White Elephant' status around completely, usually selling out in minutes.
The Royal Artillery Barracks - a spectacular setting for the shooting events in Woolwich, South-east London. Built in 1776, the buildings are steeped in military history. Arsenal football club began nearby, using their original name: 'The Woolwich Arsenal'.
Wembley Stadium - will host the football. Recently rebuilt at eye-watering expense, this venue is the traditional home of English football.
Wimbledon - unsurprisingly, will host the tennis competition.
In addition Hyde Park and Regent's Park will host the Triathlon and Cycling events, respectively.
The main stadium roof was successfully raised on the 15th December 2009, prompting Lord Coe (London 2012 Committee Chair) and Olympics Minister, Tessa Jowell to confirm their confidence in building contractors hitting their key targets. It appears that the 2012 Olympic preparations are on schedule and confidence is high, despite the global recession, that the Games will achieve the high standards promised, when London won the bid in July 2005.
Patrick Seery, Lead Editor - The Inside Guide to London The Inside Guide to London
Ideas and inside tips for places to see when visiting London. Lots of reviews, photos, maps and advice. Sights are clustered together so you don't have to zig-zag across town. Ever wondered where those traditional pubs are, where the tastiest food is found, and the best afternoon tea in town is served? Visit the Inside Guide to London for inside advice. It doesn't list every place in town - just the ones that you'll be glad you heard about. Money won't get you listed - you just have to be good, then you appear for free. London Attractions
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