Six out of eight permanent 2012 venues have had their future secured claimed the Olympic Park Legacy Company after they appointed operators for the Aquatics Centre, Multi-Use Area and the ArcelorMittal Orbit.

Six out of eight permanent 2012 venues have had their future secured claimed the Olympic Park Legacy Company after they appointed operators for the Aquatics Centre, Multi-Use Area and the ArcelorMittal Orbit.

Employment, training and sporting opportunities for Londoners are at the heart of the deals, along with ensuring that the venues are both affordable and accessible, and fit into the wider offer of the post-Games Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park at Stratford

Greenwich Leisure Limited (GLL) will operate the Aquatics Centre and the Multi-Use Arena, and Balfour Beatty WorkPlace will run the Orbit, a 375-foot observation tower, and manage the maintenance of thep park.

The contracts are expected to create 254 full time jobs, 86 apprenticeship places every year and that on average, 75 per cent of jobs will go to local people in the Host Boroughs.

There is also a strong focus on small and medium sized enterprises benefitting from supply chain opportunities.

The price of swimming at the Aquatics Centre or hiring a court at the Arena will be the same as the average local pool or sports centre.

By combining two venues in one contract, the Legacy Company said it has also ensured that the Aquatics Centre will not require any additional public subsidy as the Arena will cross subsidise it. Further revenue will be generated from naming rights.

With the appointments of anchor tenants and events for the Stadium and the Press and Broadcast Centre this summer, London is on course to secure the future use of every permanent venue before the Games have even started – a first for any Olympic City, say OPLC.

Its Chair Baroness Margaret Ford, said: “GLL and Balfour Beatty WorkPlace will play a key part in the creating a Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park that is a thriving visitor destination with world class sporting venues that are both affordable and accessible to the public.

“The combination of Balfour Beatty WorkPlace’s commitment to jobs and apprenticeships and GLL’s innovative proposals for sports programming will create a host of economic and sporting opportunities.”

Mayor of London Boris Johnson claimed the announcement as “a ringing endorsement of our 2012 legacy and regeneration plans for east London and an amazing achievement by the Legacy Company.”

“We can now start the run in to a fantastic year of celebration with huge pride and optimism that London will stage a great Games”

Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport, Jeremy Hunt said:

“It’s all go for London 2012, and today’s announcement shows the Games will leave a real and lasting legacy.”

The GLL contract is for 10 years starting in 2013. “We are delighted to have been awarded the contract,” said a spokesman.

They anticipated 800,000 visitors a year.

Apart from sport the Multi-Use Arena can also host concerts, shows, exhibitions and conferences, Balfour Beatty Workplace contract is also for ten years.

They hope to make the tower one of London’s foremost visitor attractions