The Mayor's vision
The full interview with Ken Livingstone appeared in the Spring 2007 issue
Ken Livingstone is pleased with the progress for the London 2012 Olympic Games. He’s under no illusions about the task ahead. He tells Host City about his excitement at the prospect of delivering a great event. And he is determinded to leave a fantastic legacy for Londoners.
The greatest challenge arising from the Olympic and Paralympic Games is to regenerate a very deprived part of East London.
This is why I insisted that the bid was based around the Lower Lea Valley rather than Wembley. We want to leave a lasting legacy of social, economic and environmental improvement that will benefit the whole city. Designing and delivering the venues and facilities for the Games and keeping the long-term legacy in mind, is a key challenge for everyone involved.
It’s the first time the Games have been planned in this way.
Meeting all of these different objectives is a tough call, but with the other Olympic partners, I’m determined that we will do it.
We know from the experiences of other host cities that the London and UK economy cannot fail to be boosted by Games. Every sector will gain from the prosperity generated. Companies, large and small, will be needed to deliver the Games, creating valuable procurement opportunities but also providing key opportunities for business start-ups and growth in key sectors.
As a direct result of hosting the Games, export opportunities will arise from the upgrading of national skills and capabilities, and the increased expertise and profile of British firms.
In addition, there will be opportunities for communities to host pre-Games preparation camps that will enable athletes from the visiting 200 nations to acclimatise. This could bring millions of pounds worth of valuable income to local areas enhancing productivity and prosperity.
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