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12/6/04
12/6/04

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Christopher

Christopher

Portland, OR
November 2002

DEC 06, 2004 10:20 PM

When the Millennium Dome was built, critics said that the £759 million structure would celebrate the continued existence of Queen and Country. Now, five years later, it barely attracts visitors and tenants of the building put the blame squarely on how the structure is managed, and some even call the building “passé.” The Guardian traces the sordid history of all involved with its construction and looks at how the dome is fairing now.


For the record, the dome received more than 6.5 million visitors during its year of operation (in the same period, Alton Towers managed 2.65 million) but with costs rising to more than £793m, that was never going to be enough to balance the books. It took a critical mauling, both for its overblown finances and undercooked content, from which a number of people who worked on the project are still trying to recover.

While it cracked the varnish of New Labour's glossy image, for some of the designers, editors and administrators, it has had a more profound effect. Many are still wary of discussing it. Naturally enough, some got away with their reputations intact and have prospered. Lord Falconer, who succeeded Peter Mandelson as minister with responsibility for the project, has graduated to the cabinet and is currently Lord Chancellor. Meanwhile, PY Gerbeau, NMEC's second chief executive and the flamboyant ex-EuroDisney man, is head of X-Leisure, the company responsible for developments such as the Xscape entertainment centre in Milton Keynes. He's unwilling to rake over old coals, describing the project simply as 'passe'.

Richard Rogers, the architect behind the scheme, is another who has emerged largely unscathed, bar the odd barb from Stephen Bayley, the dome's one-time creative director. Mike Davies, the project architect, says: 'It must have had some effect on us. But we always believed in the dome and we still do. There have been many people who've knocked the project but they've been very careful to knock the content, not the structure.'


Sitting on the Meridian Line, the structure sits like a half-inflated balloon. According to it’s website, Prime Minister Tony Blair said that the dome is “[the] most exciting thing to happen anywhere in the World in the Year 2000.” This last summer, the dome’s management announced that they will convert the dome to seat 20,000 for athletic competitions and, with £4 billion of investments, will be the main feature for London’s bid for the 2012 Olympic games.

Jeff_Fries

Jeff_Fries

Humptulips, WA
September 2003

DEC 07, 2004 01:29 AM

williamj

williamj

Ooltewah, TN
June 2003

DEC 07, 2004 01:33 AM

i think everything that was tied to the millennium turned out to be a a bust whatever

Doghouse_Reilly

doghouse_reilly

I'm lost
February 2004

DEC 07, 2004 01:40 AM

I'd never even heard of the Millenium Dome until now.

If that's the most exciting thing Tony Blair saw in the year 2000, no wonder he was so psyched about the prospect of a war.

dem_z

dem_z

United Kingdom
June 2004

DEC 07, 2004 01:47 AM

The dome was one of the first examples of Blair doing his "I'm right, I know I'm right, and all these people telling me I'm wrong will change their minds once I've done this" thing.

I guess a lot of people hated it because it was expensive, and seemed a bit pointless.

The structure is only going to last for twenty five years or something; hardly a lasting monument.

With all that cash they could have done something to the public transport in London and got some real, lasting, results.

dirtyground

dirtyground

Chicago, IL
August 2003

DEC 07, 2004 02:35 AM

demetrius_z said:
The dome was one of the first examples of Blair doing his "I'm right, I know I'm right, and all these people telling me I'm wrong will change their minds once I've done this" thing.



i totally agree.

also, that sounds like my dad saying im a stubborn bastard biggrin

Lego_

Lego_

United Kingdom
June 2003

DEC 07, 2004 06:33 AM

It's a bit late to say now, but:

"Homes not domes!!!"

thelost

thelost

United Kingdom
June 2004

DEC 07, 2004 06:37 AM

i think the 10k clock is a much more fitting tribute to the millenium.

Lain

Lain

Astoria, NY
April 2004

DEC 07, 2004 07:43 AM

this is the thing they talking about:


Didnt James Bond slide down this thing in one of his movies? I believe it was The World Is Not Enough

[Edited on Dec 07, 2004 10:43AM]

Leccy

Leccy

United Kingdom
September 2004

DEC 07, 2004 07:49 AM

The vast majority of British people thought this idea was crap.
No one really wanted it, other than the politicians.

From what I remember (I could be wrong here) the Labour government made the excuse that they were tied into the contracts left over from the previous (Conservative) government. Wether this is really the case I'm not sure, if it is I'm not convinced thet did enough to try and wangle out of it.
whatever