London 2012 Olympic Stadium Plans Are Unveiled

Plans were revealed today for London's Olympic Stadium, a "coliseum-style" venue in east London that is designed so that it can "continue to be used on a smaller scale after the Olympics, by scaling down its 80,000 capacity to 25,000," according to the

Manchester Guardian.

The permanent seating will be built on a concrete bowl sunk into the ground, a design which architects hope "will bring spectators closer to the action," the newspaper said.

From the completely not surprised department: with a price tag estimated last month at $1.04 billion, the stadium's budget has is almost double the $588 million 2004 estimate given during London's bid for the Games.

Construction of the new stadium is schedule to begin next April, with completion aimed in 2011 to permit time for pre-Olympic test events.