The man standing centre stage asked the audience: "Did the subcontract come into existence?" Those from Laing O'Rourke yelled: "Oh yes it did." Those from Hayden Young yelled: "Oh no it didn't." Titans at loggerheads. Two enterprises that needed each other trying to find a way of living together. Two firms trying to get into contract spent two years trying and still didn't make it. Meanwhile, Hayden Young got on with the work and Laing O'Rourke paid. In the end they fell out and nobody could work out whether they'd agreed the rules of the game. Coventry City football club played its first game at the new Ricoh arena on 20 August 2005. Practical completion was achieved the day before. Mind you, this Laing O'Rourke project was much more than just a soccer venue - it had a hotel, a swish casino, exhibition halls, banqueting suites and a fitness fanatic's pleasurama. Hardly surprising that the talents of the ME engineering folk at Hayden Young was vital.
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