OT: Wembley Stadium

nickd · Post by **nickd** » 01 Aug 2006, 06:27

Reports this morning that Wembley Stadium might not be ready in time for next May's cup final.

What the hell have they been doing there?

They already paid well over the odds for it and now its going to be well over a year past schedule. Serious questions should be asked after this. It looks like a great stadium but has cost many many multiples of the cost of some of the German World Cup stadiums which were built.

Daveyswan · Post by **Daveyswan** » 01 Aug 2006, 06:32

Ye I work within 1/2 a mile of the Stadium and lookig at what they have left to do in and around the Stadium would say it's a fair bet it wont be done for May.

Daveyswan

dondada · Post by **dondada** » 01 Aug 2006, 06:44

And why hire an Australian company for God's sake? Stuff like this makes me so angry. Build a national stadium with a national company. Fine if they could have turned round and made a state of the art stadium in quick time. But there must have been plenty of British companies who could have made a similar pig's ear of it (apologies if they aren't Aussies - I've heard they are).

North-East firm Cleveland Bridge were involved in it and pulled out when they were being messed about. Looks like they made a good call.

Foggy · Post by **Foggy** » 01 Aug 2006, 07:35

I'd rather them take their time & build it right rather than rush it & make it look like a complete shamble, i'm sure when its finished it will be a magnificent sight to see. Imagaine if we had won the world cup 2006 (cos it was between us & the crouts) & the new stadium wasnt ready

jamesmcdonnell · Post by **jamesmcdonnell** » 01 Aug 2006, 07:50

Why is it that it seems that every major public construction project goes was over budget and way over time?

The millenium dome was a complete fiasco, 100 million for a bastard tent that nobody knows what to do with, and now everyone's wrangling about it becoming a sporting arena and casino, just cunting well use the thing.

The Scottish Parliament cost something like 300,000,000!, and was orignally budgeted at something like 80,000,000!

Are we to beleive as Ian says that no local firm could have managed the job, no, let's give it to some bunch of australian shitwits, who can't even complete it in time or on budget.

Wales · Post by **Wales** » 01 Aug 2006, 08:23

With regards to the local firm issue. I think if a government based project is over a certain price it has to go to world / european tender. Its the same for projects in other countries. Tenders can then only be scored on the criteria outlined in the plan. So unless one of the crtiteria was "are you a british based firm" there is no way of discriminating.

BigEars · Post by **BigEars** » 01 Aug 2006, 08:42

jamesmcdonnell wrote:Why is it that it seems that every major public construction project goes was over budget and way over time?

Same happens in Ireland , except it's even more over budget and even more past the date it's due by .

And then we look at countries like Holland , Germany , Portugal etc who have built they're stadiums( or other public projects) for very small fees(that are on budget) in comparison and are done on time and think why the fornicate couldn't we have done that .

jamesmcdonnell · Post by **jamesmcdonnell** » 01 Aug 2006, 09:26

Personally, I think it is because the contractors give unrealistic time estimates and tell them what they want to hear, knowing full well that if it goes tits up, they will be retained in any case, and that even if they are penalised they can contest it in court and drag the government into lengthy legal wranglings.

It's already heading that way now with claim and counterclaim from the contractors and the local government department responsible for the project, with each blaming the other for the delays.

They've already laid the carpet and the flooring inside, but guess what, the cabling hasn't gone in yet, so it's all got to be ripped up! So why was it laid in the first place? I'll tell you why, as a PR stunt by the construction company to show how far they had got.

TerribleTerry · Post by **TerribleTerry** » 01 Aug 2006, 14:10

Multiplex won the bid as they tabled the most attractive financial package (it is a fixed price deal so despite the costs spiralling and all the delays, the costs will have to be shouldered by Multiplex, who look like they will take a hit of around £125m+)

Multiplex were using this opportunity as a springboard into the British construction market. Well, they have certainly made a name for themselves with this scheme, but I dont think you will hear of them again in the UK once this site is handed over.

As someone correctly stated, all projects over a certain size must be published in the European Journal in order that bids from non-domestic firms can be considered.

On the subject of Cleveland Bridge, they have been found culpable for site delays for the steelwork in the scheme and are currently preparing their appeal against the ruling. I wouldnt be too surprised if this project was the end for them as they will struggle both financially and reputation wise if the decision is upheld on appeal.

I think the Millenium Stadium in Cardiff (in itself a great stadium) is an example of how these things can be done properly - delivered for a fraction of the cost and pretty much on time of my memory serves me.

nickd · Post by **nickd** » 01 Aug 2006, 14:43

Yes it was on time, the Millenium Stadium is outstanding and only cost £126 million.

Is Wembley really going to be that much better for a reported £750 million+?

TerribleTerry · Post by **TerribleTerry** » 01 Aug 2006, 15:25

nickd wrote:Yes it was on time, the Millenium Stadium is outstanding and only cost £126 million.

Is Wembley really going to be that much better for a reported £750 million+?

No. Simply put it can't be. I hear Wembley will be good enough to rival any venue in the world but I will wait to see that for myself.

I was at the Millenium Stadium to see the mighty Birmingham City gain promotion to the top flight against the canaries (the second greatest day of my life behind the birth of my daughter) and I was blown away by the stadium, its facilities and the quality of the view.

That stadium is a credit to Cardiff and Wales - lets hope the same sentiment will hold true for the new wembley.

dondada · Post by **dondada** » 02 Aug 2006, 05:28

nickd wrote:Yes it was on time, the Millenium Stadium is outstanding and only cost £126 million.

Is Wembley really going to be that much better for a reported £750 million+?

I didn't even think it cost that much, Nick. The stat I normally trot out and am most disgusted by is that (apparently) the legal fees for Wembley amount to the same cost as the whole building of the Millennium Stadium.

:x

nickd · Post by **nickd** » 02 Aug 2006, 06:17

Thats definite figures for the Millenium Stadium. And those Wembley figures are the original figures so that will be well over that no doubt. Shambles!

jamesmcdonnell · Post by **jamesmcdonnell** » 02 Aug 2006, 06:24

nickd wrote:Yes it was on time, the Millenium Stadium is outstanding and only cost £126 million.

Is Wembley really going to be that much better for a reported £750 million+?

Interestingly, the Welsh Assembly building also came in on budget, and on time, are we to believe that this country is incapable of achieving somthing a small nation like wales can.

Apparently the Welsh assembly is an absolutely fantastic building too.

Scratch that, was well over budget, but at 67 million, is pretty cheap compared to the Scottish Parliament, and well over time as well.