16 parties register interest in Olympic Stadium

The Olympic Stadium in Stratford will play host to the opening ceremony (GETTY IMAGES)

West Ham are believed to be one of 16 parties interested in moving to the Olympic Stadium after this summer's London Games as the January 30 deadline passed.

The original deal for the Hammers to take over the Stratford venue collapsed in October amid concerns over delays caused by the legal dispute with Tottenham and Leyton Orient.

The new bidding process to use the stadium opened on December 20, with West Ham the favourites to become the tenants, although the Olympic Park Legacy Company (OPLC) confirmed they would accept a ground-share bid from a football and a rugby team, and said retaining the athletics track was non-negotiable.

A spokesperson for the OPLC said: "There have been 16 registrations from parties interested in bidding to use the stadium after the Games. They now have until March 23, 2012, to submit their full bids.

"The Legacy Company plans to appoint the winning bidders in May 2012 and remains on track to reopen the venue in 2014.

"Each successful bidder will add to the athletics legacy already secured for the stadium, including the new national centre for athletics and host of the 2017 World Athletics Championships."

Spurs, meanwhile, scrapped their plan to challenge West Ham to become tenants and have instead committed themselves to their initial idea for a new stadium known as the Northumberland Development Project (NDP).

PA