On the Scene -- Westfield Triggers Olympic Regeneration, London Mayor Says

(ATR) Mayor Boris Johnson says London already has a legacy from the 2012 Games in the form of Westfield Stratford City, a record-setting megamall opening its doors today next to Olympic Park.

"We’ve got the legacy in advance, never mind the legacy after the Games," he told reporters at the ribbon-cutting ceremony of what is now Europe’s largest urban retail center.

"Shoppers have access to this before they are even allowed in the Olympic Stadium. That shows the amazing power of the Olympic Games, which triggered the regeneration and the investment.

" [$2.3 billion] worth of investment together with the Olympics triggered the regeneration in this part of London not seen since the Middle Ages."

Overlooking the Olympic Park and Village, the center features 250 shops alongside 70 restaurants, a 17-screen cinema and the UK’s largest casino operated by Aspers. Shoppers eagerly anticipated the 10 a.m. opening with people running through the doors in excitement.

After the Games, Westfield Stratford City expects to develop 1,200 houses on site, close to the existing hotels. Already the center is almost fully staffed with jobs going to east Londoners. Johnson emphasized they were "2,000 jobs that would not have been available to these people without the Olympics".

Britain's culture secretary Jeremy Hunt addressed VIP guests at a private lunch. "Europe’s biggest urban shopping center opening beside the Olympic Park is a massive vote of confidence in the area and proof of the powerful effect London 2012 is having on this part of the city," he said.

With 70 percent of Games-goers using Westfield as an entrance to the Olympic Park next summer, Hunt also highlighted the positive impact on British brands represented at the shopping center.

"It will be a fabulous showcase for some of the best British retail businesses and brands, especially during the Games. And as a significant new local employer it is a fundamental part of the lasting legacy of London’s Games," he added.

There was one construction glitch during the otherwise smooth opening. A few meters from where Johnson was speaking to reporters, a metal panel from the ceiling crashed down onto a table just centimeters away from where people were sitting.

But the incident did not alter Johnson’s jovial mood. Before enjoying a performance from American pop singer Nicole Scherzinger of Pussycat Dolls fame, he cut the ribbon alongside Westfield Group chairman Frank Lowy.

"Westfield Stratford City offers more choice for the people of Stratford, more growth for the London economy, and I now declare this fantastic new landmark in London open," Johnson said.

Reported in London by Christian Radnedge