Olympics latest

Construction News (CN) led with news that Carillion is now tipped to get the £200m London Olympics media centre contract.

As Construction Manager indicated in our November issue, the contractor and its team - comprising regeneration funder Igloo and architects Allies and Morrision - is thought to have edged ahead of the only remaining bidder, Bouygues/Development Securities/Hopkins.

An industry insider told CN that Carillion now looks like the favourte: "It has a good team that has been working on the new printing plant for News International at Broxbourne on the M25, north of London," he said. "There are similarities between that project and this one so they will be looking to bring across the team from that job if possible."

Although the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) has yet to make a decision on the contract, the insider asserted that "rumblings have begun in the market" that it will go to Carillion.

Contract Journal (CJ) went with news of further cost cutting at the 2012 Olympic aquatics centre. It said two temporary grandstands will now be bolted on to the building, mirroring revisions made to the main stadium.

CJ said it had seen the latest plans for the centre, which include 15,000 temporary seats in slabs either side of architect Zaha Hadid's unique curved roof design. If CJ is correct, this will be the third time Hadid's plans have been altered in efforts to cut project costs.

Finally, Building magazine reported that the ODA has suspended all work involving open flames or high temperatures on the Olympic site after last week's warehouse fire. The ODA told Building that the fire had been caused by insulation material that was ignited by an oxyacetylene torch during demolition work. The authority is now reviewing its health and safety procedures.