Tottenham had bitter battle over the Olympic Stadium with West Ham but had shock alternative plan

It is recognized as one of the most magnificent venues in all of sports, not just the Premier League.

The stadium is located on the site of their famous White Hart Lane field, which was demolished and rebuilt between 2016 and 2019.

But Spurs may have played in the Olympic Stadium in the east end of the city rather than in North London.

The main arena for the 2012 Olympic Games was constructed in Stratford as part of the neighborhood’s revitalization, with the event taking place in the English capital.

Before the competition ever began, Spurs were considering using the stadium as their new home. Usain Bolt won gold in the 100-, 200-, and 4×100-meter relays there.

White Hart Lane can only hold 36,284 spectators, thus the Olympic Stadium was considered as a possible new home for the team. However, West Ham, a rival team in London, was also eager to relocate there.

Spurs attempted to argue that if the Hammers relocated, the stadium would not be able to hold its capacity, according to a 2011 story by The Guardian.

Although Spurs also attempted to claim that such a proposal would leave supporters too far away from the pitch and make it difficult for them to really see the ball, West Ham’s plan was for decreasing the capacity from 80,000 to 60,000 with the running track remaining in place.

Instead, they suggested demolishing the stadium completely, reconstructing it as a football field, and renovating Crystal Palace’s National Sports Centre to make up for the removal of the athletics track. These ideas would have cost around £250 million in total.

The south London club used to play at this location from the time of its founding in 1905 until 1924, when it relocated to Selhurst Park.

In addition, Spurs includes the fulfillment of promises made to athletics through a “legacy fund” from the time London was awarded the opportunity to host the Olympics in 2005.

However, Ed Warner, the then-Chairman of UK Athletics, who had earlier praised the Hammers’ proposal, declared the plans to be “woefully inadequate.”

West Ham was selected as the preferred club to move in after the Olympics by the Olympic Park Legacy Committee, shortly after Spurs attempted to thwart its London rival’s aspirations.

The offer collapsed due to a legal disagreement with Spurs and a desire for the stadium to stay in public hands, but West Ham made another attempt the following year. In August 2011, an independent investigation affirmed this judgment.

The Hammers secured a 99-year lease in 2013 after being one of four bids for the stadium, and the then-Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, postponed the decision until the conclusion of the Olympics.

Since the 2016–17 season, West Ham has played at the London Stadium after moving from Upton Park, while Spurs chose to renovate the area surrounding White Hart Lane.

In 2016, the Northumberland Development Project announced intentions to construct a new stadium on a larger plot of land at that location. Construction is expected to start in 2016.

The Spurs, who briefly relocated to Wembley, now play in a 62,850-capacity multipurpose facility that also holds concerts, boxing bouts, and NFL games after their previous stadium was gradually demolished.

Although it took about £1 billion to construct overall, Spurs currently own one of the greatest stadiums in the world.