DESIGN UNVEILED FOR LONDON'S OLYMPIC GAMES VISITOR ATTRACTION

THE MAYOR OF LONDON BORIS JOHNSON AND LAKSHMI MITTAL, CHAIRMAN AND CEO OF ARCELORMITTAL, UNVEILED THE ARTIST AND DESIGN CHOSEN TO CREATE A SPECTACULAR NEW VISITOR ATTRACTION IN THE OLYMPIC PARK. AWARD WINNING LONDON-BASED ARTIST ANISH KAPOOR HAS BEEN GIVEN THE COMMISSION OF A LIFETIME TO DESIGN THE SPECTACULAR NEW PUBLIC ATTRACTION. THE STUNNING ARTWORK, TO BE ENTITLED 'THE ARCELORMITTAL ORBIT', WILL ENSURE THE PARK REMAINS AN UNRIVALED VISITOR DESTINATION FOLLOWING THE 2012 GAMES, PROVIDING THE KEY OLYMPIC LEGACY THE MAYOR OF LONDON ENVISAGED FOR THE EAST END. THE BREATHTAKING SCULPTURE, THOUGHT TO BE THE TALLEST IN THE UK, WILL CONSIST OF A CONTINUOUS LOOPING LATTICE OF TUBULAR STEEL. STANDING AT A GIGANTIC 115m, IT WILL BE 22m TALLER THAN THE STATUE OF LIBERTY IN NEW YORK AND OFFER UNPARALLELED VIEWS OF THE ENTIRE 250 ACRES OF THE OLYMPIC PARK AND LONDON'S SKYLINE FROM A SPECIAL VIEWING PLATFORM. VISITORS WILL BE ABLE TO TAKE A TRIP UP THE STRUCTURE IN A HUGE LIFT AND WILL HAVE THE OPTION OF WALKING DOWN THE SPIRALING STAIRCASE. THE ATTRACTION WILL STAND IN THE SOUTHERN PART OF THE OLYMPIC PARK BETWEEN THE STADIUM AND AQUATICS CENTER AND WILL OPEN IN TIME FOR THE 2012 GAMES. AFTER COMPLETION, THE OLYMPIC PARK LEGACY COMPANY WILL TAKE OWNERSHIP AND RUN THE VISITOR ATTRACTION.