Hearn: Leyton Orient Can Rent the Olympic Stadium

Leyton Orien chairman Barry Hearn has revealed that West Ham might not be the only tenants of the Olympic Stadium and cannot block the League One side from renting the venue.

The League One club’s chairman says the news emerged from a meeting he had had with the London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC).

West Ham won the bid to be the anchor tenants, but Hearn says the LLDC confirmed the Premier League club could not block other companies or clubs agreeing deals to use the Olympic Stadium when it was not being used by the Hammers.

Hearn’s meeting with the LLDC follows a House of Lords report into the Olympic legacy that recommended Orient should be allowed “occasional use” of the stadium.

Hearn said: “West Ham have no say about it, that was the most important thing that came out of the meeting.

“I was not sure if West Ham were guaranteed to be the only football club using the stadium and the breakthrough news for me was that the answer is no, they are just a tenant.

“It is a little light at the end of the tunnel, at least we know there are no legal restrictions to us playing there and the next step is to see what the price would be and then make a decision.”

The LLDC confirmed that once a stadium operator is appointed anyone, including Orient, can approach them and agree a separate deal but West Ham’s matches would have priority.

An LLDC spokesperson said: “We will be appointing an organisation next autumn to manage, maintain and operate the stadium and programme activities and events.

“Once they are appointed Leyton Orient are free, as are anyone, to approach the operator to discuss using the stadium. If long-term use is proposed this would be subject to a further competitive process.”