Dome decision possible within days

Attraction could become home to hi-tech companies

A decision on the future of the Millennium Dome could be made within days, it was revealed on Tuesday.

Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott is due to head a minister's meeting on Thursday to discuss a bid of around £125m from the consortium Legacy to take over the troubled south London attraction.

Legacy wants to turn the Greenwich site into a hi-tech business park.

The consortium is believed to be unhappy that it has not yet been given preferred bidder status by ministers.

Thursday's meeting is also expected to be attended by Lord Falconer, the minister in charge of the Dome, who has resisted demands for his resignation after last week's damning report on the Dome by the National Audit Office.

Also expected to attend is Tourism Minister Janet Anderson. The Treasury is also likely to be represented at ministerial level.

"We don't know yet whether there will be an announcement or not about the Legacy bid," said a spokesman for the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions.

He went on: "Legacy is the only bidder to be considered. There have been other unsolicited bids and expressions of interest but we are only talking to Legacy."

The Dome Europe consortium backed by Japanese finance group Nomura had been set to take over the Dome having beaten off the challenge of Legacy.

Nomura had wanted to turn the Dome into a giant theme park but pulled out in September in a move that let Legacy back into the running.