Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy believes his club has no obligation to keep the athletics track if they take over the London Olympic Stadium.
Spurs are competing with rival Premier League club West Ham for control of the stadium after the completion of the 2012 London Games, but have sparked controversy with their proposal to completely rebuild the venue after the Olympics, minus the athletics track.
West Ham intend to retain the multi-purpose original, in keeping with the promise made by the London Olympic organising committee, but Levy insists Tottenham’s proposal is just as valid without the athletics facilities.
“There is no moral argument to retain the running track,” Levy said. “Any bid process sees commitments made and then things change.”
“The original plan was to reduce the stadium to a 25,000-seat stadium just for athletics and nobody wanted it. The minute they went away from that commitment then it all changed.”
“From the viewpoint of the taxpayer and therefore the Government a lot of money has been spent on the Olympics and it is important the taxpayer is not asked to put more money into it in the future.”
The chairman denied demolishing the Olympic Stadium to create a football venue after the Games would be a waste of the 500 million pounds already invested in it, with Levy saying part of the demolished stadium would be used in the redevelopment of the Crystal Palace athletics stadium.
“The 500 million pounds is the total investment for the total site and it was always intended for much of the structure to come down after the Games – at a cost of 80 million pounds,” Levy said.
“Under our proposal the vast majority of the stadium will be reutilised in the new stadium or at Crystal Palace.”
“The notion that the whole thing is being knocked down and wasted is incorrect.”
“In my opinion we would bring a much bigger contribution to athletics at Crystal Palace, the original home of athletics. The only thing we would not do is have it in the Olympic Park.”
While Levy said he could understand fans’ issues with moving from the club from their North London home at White Hart Lane, he is confident the move would be for the best.
“I understand that (the fans’ concern) because I have been a Spurs fan all my life,” Levy said.
“But our fans travel on average 40 miles to each game from all around London and the south east.”
“If we have to move five miles down the road for the greater good of the club, then that’s what we have to do.”
