The Olympic Park Legacy Company (OPLC) yesterday formally invited companies to bid to take over the giant venues after London 2012, which occupy one million square foot of flexible business space.

During the Olympics and Paralympics, the two east London facilities will house thousands of the world's top accredited print and broadcast journalists but Doocey has said it is essential that there is a proper legacy from the structures.

"The 2012 Press and Broadcast Centres have huge potential to bring skilled jobs to the Olympic Park after the Games and getting the right tenants is going to be crucial," said Doocey.

"Pursuing options such as a 'creative hub' of media organisations and small start-ups would be one way to build a skills and employment legacy at the site.

"But other industries, which could offer equal numbers of skilled jobs, should not be ruled out."


The MPC and IBC are adjacent to the creative district of Hackney Wick and within the newly named East Wick area.

Interested parties, from start-ups to established global companies, have nine weeks to submit their proposals for the two venues and following the end of the bidding process on December 2 this year, the OPLC will review submissions before short listing potential occupiers in February 2012.

The OPLC chair Baroness Margaret Ford indicated to insidethegames that her organisation expects separate applications for the two different venues, as they are contrasting structures.

However, bids from a single company to operate both venues will be considered.

The five storey MPC will provide around 317,000 sq ft of office space with the potential for retail uses on the ground floor, while the IBC will offer 95,000 sq ft of office space over five floors and 575,000 sq ft of commercial space over two floors, but has the flexibility to be reconfigured into four separate buildings.

"The Olympic Press and Broadcast Centres offer a unique opportunity for businesses to become a major part of London's Olympic legacy," said Minister for Olympic Legacy Bob Neill.

"Companies based in these facilities will be at the forefront of east London's expanding business landscape, helping to establish a vibrant new community within the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and leading growth in one of the most exciting locations in the capital," he said.

Last year, the OPLC ran a market testing process into the future uses of the MPC and IBC which generated 45 expressions of interest across a wide range of sectors including creative, media, retail, cultural, construction, education, public, real estate, entertainment and leisure.

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