LONDON, May 12 (Reuters) - The fabric wrap that had been intended to jazz up London's Olympic stadium before being ditched late last year amid government spending cuts could make a return, the Olympics minister suggested on Thursday.
"If you ask me, I should think it probably more likely there will be than not," Hugh Robertson told reporters, when asked if there would be a wrap.
The comment came during the release of the latest Olympic quarterly figures which showed the anticipated final cost for the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA), in charge of Olympic build and infrastructure, had fallen by 35 million pounds ($57 million) to 7.27 billion pounds.
The report also showed more than 200 million pounds of public funds had been saved by deciding in 2007 to use existing permanent venues rather than build three new temporary ones to stage volleyball, fencing and badminton/rhythmic gymnastics at a time when the country was heading towards the worst recession in decades.
About a quarter of the savings will pay towards increased costs incurred by the privately funded London organising committee (LOCOG) for items including venue rental and additional security for off-park venues.
Robertson said the stepping down of security and counter-terrorism minister Pauline Neville-Jones this week would not inconvenience safety planning for the 2012 Games.
"I had a detailed security briefing with the Secretary of State and we are absolutely confident security planning is exactly where we want it to be," he said.
There was no particular evidence, so far, that the death of al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, shot dead by U.S. special forces in Pakistan last week, was going to lead to a rapid increase in the security situation, he added.
Four British Islamists killed 52 people in attacks on the London transport network on July 7, 2005.
The eye-catching seven million pound wrap was designed to provide a colourful curtain around the steel girders and grey concrete seating of the 486 million pound main stadium but was dropped last October as the government imposed the severest public spending cuts in generations to rein in a record peacetime budget deficit.
The move was criticised in some quarters, including the architect, and a private company was sought to provide sponsorship. Evaluations are ongoing three months after the deadline for expressions of interest ended.
Construction of the Olympic venues and infrastructure is 83 percent complete, with the 43 million pound handball arena becoming the third venue on the park to be completed.
The overall cost remains within the 9.3 billion pound budget, including contingency.
"If you ask me, I should think it probably more likely there will be than not," Hugh Robertson told reporters, when asked if there would be a wrap.
The comment came during the release of the latest Olympic quarterly figures which showed the anticipated final cost for the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA), in charge of Olympic build and infrastructure, had fallen by 35 million pounds ($57 million) to 7.27 billion pounds.
The report also showed more than 200 million pounds of public funds had been saved by deciding in 2007 to use existing permanent venues rather than build three new temporary ones to stage volleyball, fencing and badminton/rhythmic gymnastics at a time when the country was heading towards the worst recession in decades.
About a quarter of the savings will pay towards increased costs incurred by the privately funded London organising committee (LOCOG) for items including venue rental and additional security for off-park venues.
Robertson said the stepping down of security and counter-terrorism minister Pauline Neville-Jones this week would not inconvenience safety planning for the 2012 Games.
"I had a detailed security briefing with the Secretary of State and we are absolutely confident security planning is exactly where we want it to be," he said.
There was no particular evidence, so far, that the death of al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, shot dead by U.S. special forces in Pakistan last week, was going to lead to a rapid increase in the security situation, he added.
Four British Islamists killed 52 people in attacks on the London transport network on July 7, 2005.
The eye-catching seven million pound wrap was designed to provide a colourful curtain around the steel girders and grey concrete seating of the 486 million pound main stadium but was dropped last October as the government imposed the severest public spending cuts in generations to rein in a record peacetime budget deficit.
The move was criticised in some quarters, including the architect, and a private company was sought to provide sponsorship. Evaluations are ongoing three months after the deadline for expressions of interest ended.
Construction of the Olympic venues and infrastructure is 83 percent complete, with the 43 million pound handball arena becoming the third venue on the park to be completed.
The overall cost remains within the 9.3 billion pound budget, including contingency.
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