LONDON – West Ham can start planning its move into London's Olympic Stadium.
The Premier League club has been in exclusive negotiations since December over terms of a 99-year lease that will allow the Hammers to move to the east London stadium from nearby Upton Park, which has a capacity of 35,000. A deal is expected to be announced Friday.
Besides paying annual rent, West Ham owners David Gold and David Sullivan will have to give the London legacy company a share of any profit if they sell the club.
The stadium will need retractable seating built to cover the running track during soccer games.
Although the stadium isn't due to be ready for West Ham until 2016, sports minister Hugh Robertson says it is set to stage Rugby World Cup matches in 2015.
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