If West Ham play at iconic Games venue it will not be until August 2016

West Ham could not move into the Olympic Stadium until the summer of 2016 should the Premiership club win their bid to play there.

The London Assembly heard today that the amount of work needed to convert the London 2012 venue means it would not re-open to the public until August 2015.

Newly appointed Chief Executive of the London Legacy Development Corporation, Dennis Hone, told members of the Budget and Performance Committee at City Hall.

The departing London 2012 Games chief told the Committee that the Corporation was exploring various design options to convert the stadium to meet the specifications of the four bidders, including the Hammers, Leyton Orient and Tottenham Hotspur, with the most complex options unlikely to be completed until the start of the football season in August 2016.

Talks have been held with the bidders but none of the adaptation work has been taken to the market yet.

He also denied reports that the stadium could be home to an American Football team, saying no formal bid had been received, and no approach had been made outside of the bidding process.

John Biggs, committee chair and east London Assembly Member said news of delays to the legacy was disappointing.

He saiod: “Regardless of who gets the stadium, a huge amount of work will need to be done before it can reopen to the public.”

He added that over the next three or four years, the Corporation will face extra cost while coping with lost rent and lower visitor numbers on the Olympic Park.

London Mayor Boris Johnson is likely to be quizzed on the stadium’s future at a public meeting at City Hall on next Wednesday.West Ham could not move into the Olympic Stadium until the summer of 2016 should the Premiership club win their bid to play there.

The London Assembly heard on Wednesday that the amount of work needed to convert the London 2012 venue means it would not re-open to the public till August 2015 newly appointed Chief Executive of the London Legacy Development Corporation, Dennis Hone, told members of the Budget and Performance Committee at City Hall.

The former Games chief told the Committee that the Corporation was exploring various design options to convert the stadium to meet the specifications of the four bidders, including the Hammers, Leyton Orient and Tottenham Hotspur, with the most complex options unlikely to be completed until the start of the football season in August 2016.

Talks have been held with the bidders but none of the adaptation work has been taken to the market yet.

He also denied reports that the stadium could be home to an American Football team, saying no formal bid had been received, and no approach had been made outside of the bidding process.

John Biggs, committee chair and east London Assembly Member said news of delays to the legacy was disappointing.

“Regardless of who gets the stadium, a huge amount of work will need to be done before it can reopen to the public.”

He added that over the next three or four years, the Corporation will face extra cost while coping with lost rent and lower visitor numbers on the Olympic Park.

London Mayor Boris Johnson is likely to be quizzed on the stadium’s future at a public meeting at City Hall next Wednesday.