The Millennium Dome Project Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 1

The Millennium Dome Project - Research Paper Example Blair was trying to rescue the Millennium Dome, which, far from being the built representation of his reforming, forward-looking, government – â€Å"Cool Britannia† replacing â€Å"Rule Britannia† (that looked back to the time of the British Empire) – was rapidly becoming a political and financial scandal. That very evening was a disaster: thousands of guests were still stuck in lines at security checkpoints at Stratford Tube Station when the midnight hour struck and for those who made it to the Dome the champagne ran out!† It was built on a 300-acre land overlooking the River Thames. The Dome measures 320 meters in diameter, and reaches a height of 50 meters at its center; it was created to lure tourists to London. The costs for the Dome reached 758 million pounds (or more than $1.2 billion). The Dome was destined to be a failure. It carried the slogan â€Å"Time to make a difference†, which was heavily criticized by the press, and the citizens of London were asking, â€Å"What difference will it make?† Many however were looking forward to its opening for it certainly was making history. It was designed to attract tourists to London, help regenerate the depressed Greenwich borough provide a showcase for UK designs and companies and reinforce London’s image as a dynamic international city. (Swarbrooke, 2002, p. 345) At the time of the Dome project, there were many other similar projects envisioned and already started by the Government as an outcome of the global economic and cultural changes. In the post-industrial city, economic survival depends upon growth in the service sector. (Thornley, 2000, p. 689) The Millennium Commission was set up to decide the allocation and announced on 28 July 1996 that the Dome would take place on the Greenwich peninsula in London. The big bulk of the money came from the National Lottery when Prime Minister John Major and his Conservative Party decided to open it for a year’s exhibition, after which it had to be sold to  any interested private bidder.