The deal on the table from the Mayor of London, would see him pay £8.5 million, with the other £8.5 million coming from local Haringey Council. This package would be used on infrastructure and for the improved transport links around the new 56,000 seat stadium.
It would be disastrous for the area were Tottenham to pull out, and it has always been their first intention to stay in the area, if it could be achieved. If the deal can ease some of the problems that caused them to look into making the Olympic stadium bid, then they should take it.
With the new regeneration likely to cost Spurs upwards of £400 million, the £17 million offered on the table is probably of little comfort, however the fact it is being offered at all in the current financial climate is a bonus.
Some would suggest that football clubs are rich enough, and shouldn’t receive any financial aid at all, however the development does offer a huge amount for the local community and this has to be taken into account. The deal on the table is clearly better for Spurs than them coming out of this whole sorry affair with nothing at all.
It would relieve the club of all community infrastructure payments that planners normally require as well as fund the regeneration in Tottenham itself. If the deal eases some of the problems they originally encountered with the development then they should accept it.
Considering the majority of fans were not too keen on the move out of North London, and the fact that they have already invested considerable time and money (£85 million) on assembling land and planning for the Northumberland Park project, it wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world to just take the deal and draw a line under the whole sorry Olympic stadium fiasco.
Do you think Spurs should take the deal and end their Olympic Stadium battle? Let me know your thoughts by commenting below or following me on Twitter @LaurenRutter for more comment and debate.
Written by Lauren Rutter for FootballFanCast.com
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As I understood it. a lot of the cost for the new stadium was to improve public transport and roads in the area.
Th 17 million is interesting but as London has not shown any interest in the transport improvements, this shows what London really thinks of the area and why there were riots.