星空传媒

So far so good.

Reading on, though, the apparent 鈥渟olution鈥� from the designer was to halve the seating capacity to 10,000, while keeping the overall look the same.

The first question that came to mind was whether the original capacity of 20,000 was wrong. However, having heard how meticulously the bid was put together both from the games perspective and in view of life afterwards, I dismissed that idea. I was left with the impression that the appearance of the building had taken over from its prime purpose. I hope this scope-creep gets stamped on early.

If it is the case that a 10,000 seat arena is all that is required then there is the dreadful thought that the whole Olympic deal is wrong.

For the industry, the Olympic challenge is to deliver the construction holy trinity: time, cost and quality. The non-negotiable element in the equation now is time. We鈥檝e got until 27 July 2012 and that鈥檚 it. No good being out by the odd week or so. So what is going to give, cost or quality?

The next month should see the London council taxpayers finding out how much they are going to have shell out for the games through the surcharge on the council tax. They are the lucky ones because they will at least be able to relate the cost to the benefit.

For the rest of us, Mr Brown will bury the inevitable escalating costs in the general tax bill. If the games are to be a showcase for the country then it鈥檚 the costs that are vulnerable.

David Higgins and his team at the Olympic Delivery Authority need all the luck in the world over the next seven years. They have an awesome challenge but the dividends for the industry in delivering the games are significant. If we achieve the trinity it鈥檚 even better as it will once and for all prove that it can be done. The key to the success will be first-rate planning. The importance of the preconstruction skill base will never be more in evidence. Good luck to them too.