London loses second key legacy figure

LONDON (Reuters) - A second senior figure in charge of regenerating London's Olympic Park once next month's Games are over is set to step down.

American Andrew Altman, chief executive of the London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC), will leave on August 15, hot on the heels of former chairman Margaret Ford who left this month.

The softly-spoken Altman worked on transforming the seven billion pounds publicly funded park in a previously run-down part of east London.

Over the past three years Altman and Ford helped secure tenants for most of the Olympic venues on the 500-acre site including the aquatics centre and handball arena.

But they faced criticism when the deal to award the main stadium to West Ham United Football Club collapsed amid legal wrangling.

The LLDC, previously known as the Olympic Park Legacy Company, is also looking for a tenant for the media centre.

Dennis Hone, chief executive of the Olympic Delivery Authority which has been responsible for constructing the Games venues, will work as interim LLDC chief executive on a part-time basis.

"I am proud to have been able to set the table with a clear vision, resources and commercial investment," Altman said in a statement.

"It is now the perfect time to transition the project to one focused on construction so there will no disruption after the Games in implementing the legacy vision we have crafted."

The Park, which will be known as the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park once the Games are over, will have five new neighbourhoods including 7,000 homes.

(Reporting by Avril Ormsby; editing by Tony Jimenez)