Tessa Jowell says her comments about whether London would have bid for the Games in a recession were taken out of context. (ATR)(ATR) The British government minister for the 2012 Olympics says comments she made earlier this week that London would not have bid for the 2012 Games in the current recession have been taken the wrong way.
“Had we known what we know now, would we have bid for the Olympics? Almost certainly not,” Tessa Jowell told a gathering of leisure industry chiefs on Tuesday night.
But as reports of her remarks raise a furor, Jowell is trying to clarify what she said.
"The important thing is to understand the whole of what I said and not a little bit which has been taken out,” she told reporters Thursday.
"What I was reflecting was that had we known that the economy was going to a downturn, the perception of some people would have been that the Olympics would have been a distraction and not a solution to this central problem.
"What you can see all around me is how the Olympics is actually driving the economic regeneration to this part of London,” said Jowell at the Olympic Park in east London.
Jowell and other dignitaries gathered at the park to mark the beginning of the removal of 51 steel towers that used to carry high voltage power lines across the site. The power lines have been replaced by underground lines, installed to make the park suitable for the Olympic development Towers for high voltage electrical lines are coming down at the Olympic Park in east London. (ATR)and legacy use.
In her speech Tuesday night Jowell did stress the economic benefits that will accrue from the Games. She said that the impact will travel well beyond east London, with 98% of the companies working on the Games being British-based, half of them from outside the capital.
She said that cities around the country would also benefit from international teams using their training facilities. The U.S. track and field team London Mayor Boris Johnson says there is “no bad time” to host the Olympics and Paralympics. (Getty)has opted to train in Birmingham.
“So there are opportunities right round the country. It's unimaginable that this would be happening without the Olympics,” she said, adding that tourism in London could receive a $3 billion boost in 2012.
London Mayor Boris Johnson said Thursday that the Games are a good thing for London.
"In the current economic climate, I believe London is extremely fortunate to be hosting the Games in 2012," said Johnson.
"They will bring the world to London, raise the city's profile, provide a focus for a broad range of policies and hopefully encourage young people in the capital to aspire to great sporting achievement.
"The case for the games, if anything, is stronger in difficult times and I believe that the development under way in the east of London will prove a vital shot in the arm for the city when it needs it most,” said Johnson.
Written by Steven Downes
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