Bid, delivery, legacy – creating the governance architecture of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games legacy

Abstract

The regeneration legacy was the cornerstone of the London bid for the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. It became a powerful rationale for hosting the Games, justifying major investment into the Lower Lea Valley in East London that would flow from a successful bid. This article provides a historical account of the development and delivery of the London 2012 Games as a regeneration program. It focuses on the strategic development of delivery vehicles and governance arrangements, tracking through the development of the organisational structure of the 2012 Games. The account follows three stages: (i) making the bid, (ii) delivering the Games, and (iii) establishing the legacy. The article concludes by offering some insights into the success of the London 2012 delivery to date and some tentative learning points about effective planning for the legacy. Cities should give early consideration to establishing robust and empowered legacy delivery structures. This will ensure that a powerful advocate for legacy interests is in place at the earliest possible stage. It will also drive forward delivery when the ‘deadline imperative’ of the Olympic and Paralympic Games is no longer there.

Keywords:

• urban regeneration
• urban renewal
• Olympic Games
• legacy
• urban governance
• London 2012
• Mayor of London
• planning history

Notes

1. Birmingham's bid was in 1986 for the 1992 Games. Manchester bid twice: in 1990 for the 1996 Games and again in 1993 for the 2000 Games.

2. The London Borough of Barking and Dagenham joined the Host Borough group in 2010.