Australian firm pushes Wembley completion day back again

Construction group Multiplex has confirmed that its problem-plagued 1.3-billion-US-dollar redevelopment of London's Wembley Stadium (seen here in February 2006) will not be "substantially" completed until the end of June, three months after a deadline that fell on Friday.

Construction group Multiplex has confirmed that its problem-plagued 1.3-billion-US-dollar redevelopment of London's Wembley Stadium will not be "substantially" completed until the end of June, three months after a deadline that fell on Friday.

In a statement to the Australian Stock Exchange, Multiplex said commissioning and cleaning work would continue after June, meaning that a series of high-profile rock concerts and sporting events will probably have to be moved from the 90,000-seat venue.

Friday was the official deadline for the handover of the stadium to the Football Association (FA), which has already been forced to move its flagship May 13 FA Cup final to Cardiff's Millennium Stadium.

Four June concerts, including performances by American rock group Bon Jovi, which were to have been the first in the new-look stadium on June 10 and 11, have already been moved.

And there are contingency plans to shift events scheduled as far away as late August to other venues as well since Multiplex said Friday its contractual obligations technically allow it to complete the project as late as September.

The FA is already looking at holding the Community Shield -- the curtain-raiser to the English football season on August 13 -- in Cardiff, while the Rugby Football League is expected to turn to London's Twickenham stadium -- the home of English Rugby Union -- for its Challenge Cup final on August 26.

The fate of other summer concerts scheduled for Wembley, including gigs by the Rolling Stones and Robbie Williams in August and September respectively, remain uncertain.

Rain clouds pass over the new Wembley stadium site in February 2006. Construction group Multiplex has confirmed that its problem-plagued 1.3-billion-US-dollar redevelopment of London's Wembley Stadium will not be "substantially" completed until the end of June, three months after a deadline that fell on Friday.

Wembley has been plagued by a variety of problems, and Multiplex on Tuesday said more than 100 workers helping to build the stadium were at risk of losing their jobs due to a pay dispute between a subcontractor and an employment agency.

Last week, workers were sent home for a day after a roof beam shifted and there have been problems with the sewers under the stadium, built on the site of the old Wembley in north London.

In February, Multiplex reported a net loss on the Wembley project of 180 million US dollars for the previous six months, bringing its total losses from the project to 342 million US dollars.

In Friday's statement, the firm said additional allowances for cost overuns included in the interim results were sufficient and that no further adjustments to the project's financial position were anticipated.

Wembley was initially scheduled to be finished by late 2005, a deadline that was extended to January and then March 31.

In its statement Friday, the Multiplex said it was entitled to "substantial and legitimate extensions of time" under the terms of its construction contract that extend until "at least" September 2006.

"Not withstanding that it is Multiplex's belief that it has until at least September to complete, Multiplex is targeting substantial completion by end of June," it said.