Industry giants line up for Olympic media centre

The shortlist for the 2012 media centre, which is to be announced by the end of the month, is expected to include a host of big names.

Building understands that French contractor Bouygues has submitted a bid with Hopkins Architects and Carillion has also entered the race.

It is also understood that Lend Lease, which has been chosen to develop the Olympic village, has submitted plans with Foster + Partners. Last week Building revealed that Balfour Beatty had teamed up with developer Babcock and Brown to bid for the centre.

It had proved difficult to find firms willing to bid for the media centre as the winner was expected to secure future uses for the 1.3 million ft2 site. Many developers have raised doubts about the commercial viability of this requirement.

The Olympic Games media centre will definitely be permanent
oda spokesperson

It is now expected that a university will take over the development once the Games are over. Both the University of East London and London Metropolitan University are thought to be serious contenders.

A Stanhope-led team, which also included architect Make, made it to the longlist but Building understands it will team up with another developer or withdraw.

A spokesperson at the Olympic Delivery Authority denied industry rumours that it might revert to a temporary structure for the media centre. He said: “The development will definitely be permanent.”