2012 organisers landed with £200,000 consultancy bill

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Posted: Wednesday 24th December 2008 | 16:30

LONDON 2012 officials have been landed with a massive £200,000 bill, despite an external review of costs recommending no ways to make savings.

Consultants KPMG have been pouring over the figures ahead of making recommendations to the London 2012 Organising Committee (Locog).

They looked at four proposed temporary venues - which have been criticised for their lack of legacy, a key factor in London's successful bid.

However, their interim report into the venues for basketball, equestrianism, shooting, badminton and gymnastics failed to identify a single penny of savings.

According to figures released to the Daily Telegraph, following a Freedom of Information request, KPMG will receive their fees from the Olympic Development Agency.

Their eagerly awaited report revealed that basketball, artistic gymnastics and equestrian events should remain at their proposed venues, a temporary stadium near the Millennium Dome and Greenwich Park.

It also recommended that the host venue for shooting, currently temporary facilities housed at the Royal Artillery Barracks in Woolwich, should be further examined.

Earlier this month the International Olympic Committee's Gilbert Felli warned London it wanted all proposed venues finalised by March 2009.

The KPMG report highlights two additional venues for consideration - the National Shooting Centre at Bisley and another alternative site in north London.

Bisley has the support of British Shooting, the sport's national governing body, but world governing body, ISSF, are not in favour.

They want shooting to be close to the Olympic Park and Bisley is more than 40 miles away.

KPMG also recommended the planned badminton and rhythmic gymnastics venue, another temporary arena near the Dome, should be examined - with Wembley Arena, in north London, a potential option.

However, the clock is ticking for Locog and the ODA to make their final decisions.

EXTERNAL LINK: Daily Telegraph - London Olympic organisers facing £200,000 consultancy bill