With reports that the Go for Gold scratch cards lottery has already raised 2.7 million pounds towards the London 2012 Summer Olympic Games since it started three months ago, the Sunday Times says Dianne Thompson, chief executive of Camelot, the lottery operator, has been approached to run the London 2012 Games.
Advertisements for chief executive of London 2010 have just ended with formal interviews taking place next month.
Camelot has links with the Olympics. The lottery company has been given the job of raising 1.5 billion pounds over the next seven years from tickets sales towards the Games. A special Olympic “good cause” is expected to bring in 750 million pounds and the other 750 million pounds will come largely from other lottery boards after 2009.
The London 2012 CEO will be selected by its chair Lord Sebastian Coe along with Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell, London’s Mayor Ken Livingstone and the British Olympic Association.
Meanwhile according to the Times it is understood that Coe is concerned about the process for the renewal of the lottery franchise, which begins in earnest next year and ends in early 2008. He’s concerned that possible disruption to Camelot’s lottery sales during that period could threaten the funding of the Games.
Two weeks ago a member of parliament asked the Culture Department if it might extend Camelot’s seven-year licence by three years to cover the period needed for fundraising. Although the cost of the Games has been estimated at four billion pounds, the Times reports that some think it inevitable that the final figure will be much higher.
Camelot has said it will bid again for a franchise, which the lottery commission has hinted, might in future run for 10 or even 15 years.
