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From Games to Growth: The Evolution of Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park
From Games to Growth: The Evolution of Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park
Story Business 11/07/2024
Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park was centre stage for the London 2012 Olympics and Paralympic Games and with Paris 2024 looming, we have been inspired to look back at where our Park came from and explore the burgeoning business potential throughout Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.
You may remember the Park from the glittering Opening Ceremony directed by Danny Boyle, which featured British icons such as Queen Elizabeth II, James Bond, and Mr. Bean. Or perhaps you remember it from Super Saturday, when Team GB won three gold medals in just 44 minutes and Mo Farah, Jessica Ennis-Hill and Greg Rutherford became national heroes. But Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park isn’t just the home of iconic British moments; as part of the London 2012 Olympics and Paralympic Games’ five founding promises, the Park was set up to become a blueprint for innovative business that would inspire a generation of young people and transform the heart of East London.
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Since the cheers of the four million London 2012 attendees have died down, the Park has been busy delivering on these promises, and today the Park is a thriving business and cultural hub that has:
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Received 21 million visits in 2023/2024 alone.
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Achieved a high Net Promoter Score of 70-80.
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Been ranked 7th in Time Out’s Top 50 Destinations in London.
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Roughly 14,000 students call the Park home, learning, researching and innovating at 7 world class universities including UCL East, Loughborough University London, and London College of Fashion, UAL.
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Helped East London create 110,000 jobs since 2012 (as of October 2017) – outstripping the forecasted pace of growth by three times.
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Welcomed huge names like V&A, ABBA Voyage, BBC Music Studios, Gordon Ramsay Restaurants, Sadler’s Wells, and University College London to the Park.
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6 permanent visitor-attracting venues that remain from the Olympic infrastructure: London Stadium, London Aquatics Centre, Copper Box Arena, Lee Valley VeloPark, Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre, and ArcelorMittal Orbit.
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Created SHIFT, an innovation agency working to accelerate innovation that transforms how we live in cities, focussing on the major challenges of city life through their on-Park testbed and wider innovation ecosystem.
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Become home to major economy boosting entertainment businesses and events, including ABBA Voyage and Major League Baseball: London Series, which have contributed more than £322.6 million and £60 million to the UK economy respectively.
With Paris 2024 just around the corner, these facts serve as a reminder of the potential for future host cities to leverage the Olympic spirit to drive positive change and economic growth. Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park will continue to embody this Olympic Legacy long into the future, with many more exciting milestones ahead to further its position as a top destination for commercial growth. These include:
- 13,500+ people living and 40,000 people working on the Park by 2036.
- Once fully opened, East Bank will bring an extra 1.5 million visitors to the Park annually and will generate £1.5 billion for the economy.
- Welcoming five new eateries onto the Park as part of the East Bank development, further cementing the areas appeal as a top visitor destination in London. They will join the ranks of the amazing restaurants elsewhere on the Park, such as Riverside East and Barge East, which are lighting up the Park with their diverse offering of fabulous menus, creative events, and big-screen viewings.
- On the edge of the Park, Lendlease’s Stratford Cross will continue to open up and welcome F&B, entertainment and office-based businesses to their new developments, including The Turing Building. Recently, Gordon Ramsey’s Bread Street Kitchen & Bar has opened there, and they have announced that Everyman Cinemas, the luxury entertainment brand, will be joining them.
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Expansions of the universities, cementing the Park as a world leading research and innovation centre.
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Ambitious plans for the redevelopment and expansion of Stratford Station, already one of the busiest travel hubs in the UK. With new homes and jobs creating a predicted passenger growth of 60% by 2041, a consortium of partners is working on a business case to transform the station into a modern transport hub that can easily manage the level of people visiting and living in the area.
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The continued success of the area as a leading E-Sports destination, a £1.6 billion industry, with dedicated university courses and international esports conferences coming to Here East as part of its E-Sports Cluster, The College of Esports at Lee Valley VeloPark, and numerous E-Sports events held at Copper Box Arena which have cemented its reputation as the capital's premier E-Gaming arena.
The future of Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park promises inclusive prosperity, driving growth and inward investment to East London. Our success wouldn’t be possible without the support of our incredible Park Partners and community. If you’re wondering how your business could fit into Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park’s story, you can find out about the latest opportunities on the Park by signing up for our business newsletter or following us on LinkedIn.
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Discover limitless opportunities at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, whether you seek an iconic venue for your next event, a new home for your workforce, the chance to integrate into our progressive innovation network, or to engage a diverse audience for your business growth. Our offerings provide value for businesses of all kinds.
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