You see, when they were planning for the Olympics, they thought, "Hey, why not make this place extra special and turn it into something awesome after the games?" So, they designed this complex to be privately financed, but unfortunately, the whole economic crisis thingy in 2008 to 2010 made it clear that private funding wasn't gonna happen. The Olympic Delivery Authority had to step in and allocate £702 million to make sure this place stayed in tip-top shape.
During the Olympics and Paralympics, Here East was the buzzing hub where over 20,000 broadcasters, photographers, and print journalists worked their magic. They were broadcasting and printing like crazy, reaching a whopping 4 billion people worldwide! It had an International Broadcast Centre and a Main Press Centre, both connected by a fancy multi-storey car park. You know, because even journalists need a place to park.
The complex was designed by Allies and Morrison, and boy, is it impressive. It's a whopping 275 meters (902 ft) long! That's as long as three football fields combined! It even had its own catering village, making sure everyone was fed and happy. The construction cost was £355 million, which is a lot of dough, but they wanted to create something truly special for the Olympics.
After the games, some smart folks from Delancey got together with Infinity SDC and decided to turn this place into a tech hub. They formed a joint venture called iCity and brought in Laing O'Rourke to give the place a snazzy £150 million redevelopment. Now, it's not just a media center, but also a space for businesses to flourish.
Here East has become home to some pretty cool campuses for Staffordshire University, Loughborough University, and University College London. So, if you're into education, this place has got you covered. And let's not forget about Plexal, a co-working location for start-up businesses. It's like a little breeding ground for innovation!
Oh, and did I mention that BT Sport used to broadcast from Here East? Yup, they had three fancy studios here until they decided to do a full-on rebranding in July 2023. But that's the way things go, right?
So, that's Here East for you! From a media center during the Olympics to a thriving tech hub and a place for learning and innovation. Pretty neat, huh? Alright, let's head on to our next stop, the Copper Box Arena. Follow me, my friend!
