MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

London: Operators to reveal new-look Dome

The new operators of the ill-fated Millennium Dome will show how the inside of the giant Greenwich structure is taking new shape ahead of its re-opening next year.

AEG Europe, part of America's giant Anschutz Corporation, is turning the Dome in south London into a 23,000-capacity entertainment arena.

Stars such as Sir Paul McCartney, Madonna, the Rolling Stones and Britney Spears are expected to perform at the Dome, which is now officially known as The O2.

As well as holding live music concerts, the Dome will host sporting events and will be the venue for the basketball and gymnastic events when London stages the Olympic Games in 2012.

Theatre and cinema will also feature at the Dome, with AEG hoping to hold 150 different events in the building's first year of opening.

It is thought that the Dome will house a Tutankhamun and the golden age of the pharaohs exhibition in 2007.

Subject to obtaining the appropriate licence, the Dome could also feature a casino. Other amenities include an ice rink, bars, restaurants and cafes.

The £600 million redevelopment of the Dome is part of a £5 billion regeneration of the Greenwich area which will see 10,000 new homes, new offices, shops and an hotel.

Former Dome minister Lord Falconer has said that the regeneration deal should give the Government back about £550 million over the next 20 years.

The £758 million Dome had a troubled year of opening to the public in 2000. There was much criticism of its contents and there were continued calls on National Lottery money to bail out the project when the estimated 12 million visitors' figure only reached just over six million.