The Millennium Dome: Was it Actually a Failure?
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 18 ก.ย. 2022
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What does your common sense gut feeling tell you? (Psssst, it should be a big fat NO!)
A massive failure.
John Major: It would be a tight deadline to meet but it's achievable so long as a creative director for the project was chosen and nothing politically major happened in between
Tony Blair: *Hello there*
And people thought us having the world's largest stadium for the longest time was ridiculous! The icing on the cake of this whole Millennium Dome drama is the iconic BBC series Blue Peter buried a time capsule under the Dome back in June 1998. They hoped it would stay there until 2050 (they had to dig up another time capsule they originally buried in 1971 twenty years later and buried again at the Television Centre's Blue Peter garden until 2000 because the burial site underwent development)...the time capsule curse continued as due to construction and crew laying cables, the capsule was found in 2017 and accidentally damaged because they first thought it was gold.
Honestly the dome was built, powered, water management and transport done, the exhibition itself may have been a bit meh but London gained something that's been in use ever since (unlike many exhibition halls around the world) - hardly a failure!
I suppose it wouldn't be unfair to say that it was a failure in its initial iteration, but has matured into something viable.
Yes, give us a casual criminalist on the dome dimond heist.
Yes this would be awesome!!!! A great cross-over and I love a good heist story... the press must have had a field day with that!
Do not contact the first person in the comments that's now deleted. It's not Simon or his people and it's a scam and they will take your money if you have any.
@@bradbrandon2506 I know, damn scammers are everywhere. TH-cam should really block people from making "contact@/#randommessagerapprippedchannelname accounts
@@bradbrandon2506 they aren't deleted just yet, at least they weren't for me. I initially reflexively gave them a thumbs up on seeing the logo, but quickly realized it was one of those dumb scam/spam accounts and changed to thumbs down and reported it. It disappeared after reporting it, but I bet others can still see it. But fully agreed on the ignore them/etc part, as they clearly are not a real part of the Simonverse
@@ryanc473 exactly correct. I could still see it myself just now until I reported it.
I thought this was the dome with the most badass Diamond heist attempt ever. Pure brute force. Gotta cover it.
Do not contact that person in the comments. It's not Simon or his team and it's a scam.
It was and to many still is.
As a 6 year old at the time, visiting the Millennium Dome was like visiting a spaceship from the future. I really think my love of science and tech started in that building and I treasure the childhood memories I made there.
I was 10 and it was amazing to me
Never visited when it was "The Millennium Dome" but the O2 arena is fantastic, and weird how impressive just being under a giant dome feels ^^
I went in September 2000 when I was eleven. The only thing i remember is the body zone, and being overwhelmed by the size of things. But then it was my first and only trip to London.
Definitely do a Casual Criminalist on the Dome Diamond heist. I can't wait!
With buldozer and all
FYI, the buyer was a Japaneese investment bank, not O2 who where the sponsors. The "play" area can be found at the brewery in Romford Essex.
Feeling very nostalgic watching, going to the dome was one of my earliest childhood memories. I think that body exhibit traumatised me a little but what little I remember I remember fondly.
“Genesis bassist”? Peter Gabriel was the lead vocalist, but only in the 70s. A solo artist since.
"New Year's starts on Caroline Island which is situated just east of the International Date Line" True! Kirbati changed the time of the country's eastern half/the Line Islands six years before 2000 for both administrative purposes (to better unite the wide nation since the western half were a full day ahead of the Line Islands before the change) but also to promote tourism to give people the opportunity to be the first to bring in the new Millennium. This caused the International Date Line to make a very weird, jutting shape so it goes around the islands.
Not True. If the Caroline Islands were just east of the International Date Line, they'd be the LAST to see 1 January 2000 - or any other day for that matter. They are just WEST of the International Date Line (the date line is to the east of the islands), which makes them the SECOND place to see a new day - the first being in Antartica.
@@yumyong3847 Wouldn't the north-pole be simultaneously first? 🤔
@@tubensalat1453 depends on the axis of the earth. Different times of the year the poles get whichever first
@@jamesmaddison4546 I can't make any sense of that. New Year's is always at the same time of year, the date line doesn't bend over the year, ...
1:11 pitching the tent
3:41 failure to plan, plan to fail
6:00 sponsorship
7:51 the lightest building in the world
11:23 highway to the danger zones
13:26 boats, trains, and acrobats
15:15 roll up, roll up
18:26 was it a failure
@The Insufferable Tool 😜
Thanks for doing a job the people at Megaprojects should have done during editing.
1:15 - Chapter 1 - Pitching the tent
3:45 - Chapter 2 - Failure to plan , plan to fail
6:00 - Mid roll ads
7:55 - Chapter 3 - The lightest building in the world
11:25 - Chapter 4 - Highway to the danger zones
13:30 - Chapter 5 - Boats, trains & acrobats
15:20 - Chapter 6 - Roll up , roll up
18:30 - Chapter 7 - Was it a failure ?
The best bit was definitely the special episode of Blackadder that they made for the event!
Fun fact I worked for buro happold for around 6 months and they manage to bring up the O2 arena in almost every presentation and how it’s one of their greatest feats of engineering
Yes please to that Diamond Heist at the Dome over on Casual Criminalist idea 😃
This needs more likes so we can find out about the heist!
Yes we want a video about the diamond heist!
Genesis Bassist Peter Gabriel? I don't think you're giving him enough credit here :)
On-time AND under-budget... are we sure this is a Megaprojects topic?
17:30 Genesis "bassist" Peter Gabriel?
Well, it was a great location for a James Bond chase sequence!!! Also, we love going to the O2 for concerts and events. A superb experience with wonderful helpful staff and a nice selection of (chain) hospitality. If you can, try and arrive by Cable car 🙂I remember the 'fraught' birthing
I went there with my school.
Remember some random cannon things firing balls, and the heart in the body (not the brains?!).
However I DO remember Blackadder Back and Fourth being shown there as part of the visit.
THAT was brilliant!
I went there with my school too and remembering watching Blackadder also is somehow what I remember the most
I loved it. I went with school when I was 11 and I remember it being amazing. Not sure I understood the deeper message behind the acrobat show, but it was definitely pretty.
What, no mention that the Dome was the only place to see `Blackadder - Back and Forth`, admittedly in a cinema next to the Dome, but it was one of the attractions?
It was the only reason I went, as the Dome itself just felt like loads of empty space with trinkets sprinkled around the inside.
Millennium dome sounds like Simon planned it.
The had an idea but kept going off on random tangents and confused everyone 🤣
and designed from his *dome*
for the sake of the London skyline: Simon must not be given a creative director role anywhere!
I just remember it as that building that James Bond crashed a boat into, and then blew up a hot air balloon over, from The World is Not Enough.
saaaaaaame!
Exactly!!! That’s how I know it haha
The thing I remember was loads of people complaining about the government wasting loads of tax payers money on a giant tent when at the time there was tens of thousands of homeless people desperately needing housing. . Its not changed a lot now tbh.
I'd be interested to see a video on this channel about the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway Bridge. It's almost 24 mi/39 km over open water, supposedly the longest continuous bridge in the world. And it's in New Orleans, so it's been battered by alot of hurricanes in the past 60 years, including getting damaged pretty badly by Hurricane Katrina.
So, regardless of whether or not the Millennial Dome is a failure, the Causeway Bridge might be a video on something that is not a failure 😉
Have you ever traveled on the Pontchartrain bridge? It’s incredible! I lived in Gretna which is on the West Bank of the river just south of the city of New Orleans for a couple of years. The scenery is just gorgeous, white cranes, Cyprus trees & Spanish moss. ❤ These are some of the things I love most about my home state. I too would like to see Simon & team cover it.
Yes, please do the diamond heist
Never heard of this. I was just transfered from Alaska to California in the military so I missed out on a lot of current events, internet wasn't as much of a thing back then.
How did the amazing sponge ball war / jungle gym thing not get a mention?! It was one of the highlights of my childhood lol
School wouldn't let us in, in case we got injured, was fuming xD
Yes this is my overriding memory.
If you want to visit it, it's still in use in Romford, as a soft play company.
@@robertgarrett5009 I think people may take issue with a 33 year old guy running round a soft play area! Would be tempted though! lol
Literally one of the few solid memories I have of the Dome, that and the Blackadder episode they had...
Due to lack of advertising, the 1984 Worlds Fair in New Orleans was a financial flop, although attendees loved it. But did it ever transform the area of the city where it was built. It changed from decay to delightful.
Diamond heist at the dome? Yes please, Casual Cirminanist!
I, for one, would welcome a casual criminalist video on the diamond heist
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Another Channel on which I press the thumbs up before I watch.
However, Peter Gabriel - Genesis “Bassist”, that’s a howler, he WAS Genesis, front man, songwriter, singer, creative force.
I reckon the Dome should be a centre with a large central stage filled with numerous mediaeval stocks, into which political phonies should be locked. Bliar would still be in one now if there was any justice.
Yes! Please give us a casual criminalist about the dome diamond heist!
Theres a fantastic BBC doc called "Trouble at the Big Top - The Death of the Dome" on TH-cam thats totally worth checking out. Unfettled access to the mismanagement of the Dome. 100% worth the watch. The place was amazing but didn't stand a chance it was run so badly.
At the end of the day, they had to call in A certian Scottish haulier to finish the build!
I was one of the schools that was able to go on a day out trip to the Dome, was such a huge deal back then
You should do a biography about finnish founding father, president and war hero Carl Gustav Emil Mannerheim. He is rated as the most important person in Finnish history.
I agree
No.
And like, so so so many weapons are named after him. It's insane
That's like being the most important stone in a bag of rocks
I hate to be “that” guy… but isn’t it “Finish”?
I looked at it and thought, "Is it finished yet? Are those crane things permanent?"
haha yea! i used to see photos of it and wondered why they left a hole on one side too. that said, The Shard looks kind of unfinished too😂
I normally don't comment on issues of accuracy, but something here caught my attention:
1: Peter Gabriel didn't play bass for Genesis: he was their initial vocalist (though he did play a few instruments on occasion);
2. Gabriel left the band in 1975 and arguably is a much more well-known musician due to his solo work.
I know it's a small detail, but accuracy is important when distributing content for public consumption, especially in a documentary-style format.
I was lucky enough to be able to go with my family to the Dome in 2000, being about 8, and I VIVIDLY remember bursting into tears in the heart room when the scream went out
You touched on the access issues, but part of the concept was that access was only really via public transport or coach, making access difficult to those outside of London (unless on a commuter route).When O2 took over they found space for on-site parking.
Delightful as usual, Simon. Thank you.
I think I remember TechTV sindicated a robotics competition for middle/highschool students that took place at the dome around the turn of the millennium.
I don't know how true it was but when I lived in London in the early 2000s a big deal was being made about the fact that even though the dome was 'closed' with nothing going on inside much till o2 bought it, it was costing £1,000,000 per day in maintenance costs.
Dome was open before 31st Dec 1999, I went with my mum because we was part of the "test group"
I remember nothing but the kids climbing frame
Did you say on budget? I remember things VERY differently.
I will always love auto-generated subtitles. Small ones but many twisting the video into a bit of a different story.
"political inviting" (1:02),
"the law was riding on this project" (2:30),
"all being erected between the 13th and the 30th of October 1927." (9:54),
"the deficient workforce of 1500 people" (11:07),
"top designers are now Mage corporate sponsorship" (13:04),
"it couldn't be all smooth saving" (13:09),
"cues intensified, notice boards displaying useless information fueled a rape parents" (14:20)
"it meant no Wars around to fix any issues" (16:39)
The problem with the Millenium Dome for me was that it should never have existed in the first place. For most people in the UK it was too far away to be worth a visit and all that public money that was sunk into it could have been better spent on several smaller projects around the country that could have benefited far more people.
Please do one on that failed robbery
"politics and business do not mix"
and noone listened to him...
there was this quote that was probably also atrributed to einstein:
"only two things in the world are infinite: the universe and human stupidity. though i'm not sure about the latter"
They should have just built a more fire proof version of the Crystal Palace, made that a celebration of the best of British produce, culture and tech.
Something anyone could point at and go 'oh wow, look at that, its beautiful'. A shimmering Victorianesque building surrounded by a slowly maturing greenspace featuring British flowers and trees. Something that would only be more beautiful when reflected in the water of the Thames River.
Instead we got a... big white blamanche.
So you missed the bit where it was torn apart by gales earlier this year?
The stupidest thing that nobody realised was that if it was supposed to celebrate the dawning of a new millennium, it was a whole year early!
The year 2000 was actually the LAST year of the 20th century therefore the new millennium would be 2000 going into 2001.
I was a local resident and visited it and it was bland, disjointed and frankly disappointing, even though I had delivered supplies to a couple of contractors working on the site.
The only thing that stands out for me is the fact that the entire structure weighs less than the air contained inside
I was very conscious of it being a year too early, but was anybody else listening? I remember the Astronomer Royal being interviewed about how the millenium was being marked at the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, where lavish celebrations were planned. He was asked what he thought of people who said it was a year too early. His reply: "well, actually, they are right, but we need the money".
The overall feeling was "it's strangeness, eccentricity, and lack of consistently", really does sum up and celebrate the UK populace.
I went on a school trip there when I was 15. I quite enjoyed it. To be fair it was my first trip to London so the whole experience of going probably added to the spectacle.
I want a Casual Criminalist podcast about the Millennium Dome diamond heist, I want a Casual Criminalist podcast about the Millennium Dome diamond heist!
17:32 *_Genesis bassist, Peter Gabriel_* ??? By the year 2000, Peter Gabriel had been departed from _Genesis_ for 25 years. And he was never a "Bassist" although he did play the Bass drum (kick) from time-to-time. He was better known for his Solo career, than he was for his years as the lead singer of _Genesis_ ... LOL...
I don’t know how much entertainment I’d derive from the Millennium Dome Experience, but I can’t say that I don’t find it utterly fascinating
The Dome was pretty damn cool, went when I was 12 In October 2000 was an awesome day that's stayed with me ever since. I just love the way the media and culture snobs like Mr in the video here always leave out the experience as common person, Also 6 million paid for tickets made it the busiest paid for tourist attraction in Europe, I don't know how that can be branded a failure. The over estimated visitor numbers were a critical failing, the the project as a whole was right for the time, and I'm pretty sure with the 20% Profit sharing deal on the O2 site the government negotiated will when all is said and done cover the costs.
By 'culture snobs' you mean adults. You were 12 years old, and that is the age group that most of the main exhibits were aimed at. I was 36 when I went and it was like visiting a shiny, new, indoor Blackpool. The kindest comment I can say about it is that it was underwhelming.
Isn't that the building that messed up 007's shoulder in The World Is Not Enough?
Another diamond heist, I think we're due for another diamond heist in the casual criminalist. I'm down. Make it happen, please.
Oh. My god. You solved a mystery of what the heck i saw when i was five on the eve of y2k, it was the one second scene of the dancers, this whole time i thought it was a death cult or something... this brings so much closure 😅
We went to the dome and it was a fine day out. Not awesome, but ok. There had been so much negative publicity that it wasn't well attended so the queues were quite short which was good for the attendees if not for the organisers. In all honesty it wouldn't have been that great if we'd had to queue.
The UK didn’t realise when building this that the new millennium wouldn’t sound as exciting in a few years
Do a video on the Diamond heist please.
“Politics and business do not mix.” A lesson we continually fail to learn
What with lobbying and cronyism running rampant!
Never got a chance to visit in the 2000s but it's a great and iconic venue now
If the plan was to rejuvenate the area, it seems to have done quite well?
yep. the whole area and the dome is very different now. it’s an odd place but definitely working
Since me and Simon are British 🇬🇧 - This 1 is a lot More personal! 👏👏
This is otherwise known as the O2 Arena
Also featured in the
1999 film - 007 James Bond - The World is Not enough 👍
The World is Not Enough is where iknow it from
@@ilajoie3 Likewise mate
When I was 7 years old, it was the first time I ever saw it too. - ON VHS 📼 of course 😅
my grandad and uncle worked at the site when it was the gasworks. i had a tree house on the site as a kid. i worked at the local council when it went through the planning process. wondered what what become of it afterwards, what a success it has become. oh and i played hockey with PY, what a great guy. he did what he could with a turd not of his making. now it is the focal point of a new district of London, without the dome, it would still be a back water, now it is one of London's major redevelopment opportunities
The dome is without doubt a landmark, albeit an impractical one. But it’s too close to Canary Wharf to have remained an undeveloped backwater regardless of whether the dome was there or not.
@@kardy12 I doubt anyone else would of picked up the site clean up costs…
@@andygarwood673
Most of the developments on the riverfront east of Canary Wharf have been built on old industrial sites - if there is money to be made, and developers have contacts with councils and government who can grease the wheels, there’s usually a way.
Simon!! Australia has sent Bushmasters to Ukraine. Any chance of getting a video of these? And I post here as it's taken soooo many years to develop and is probably the best armoured vehicle of it's type/kind. Also, take a look at the Lynx, German company and designed but changed (in partnership with) by Australia.
Cheers mate!
My college choir sang there on a tour. One thing I do remember was the accoustics were absolute garbage. Otherwise it just seemed like an oversized children's museum. I liked some of the features like capturing rainwater from the roof for greywater use. But otherwise, meh. Nothing too exciting.
It would be cool if you had a brief summary in the description. Rather than sponsors, self promotions, and more self promotions
Could you do a Megaprojects on the Brooklyn Bridge, unless you've already done one. But I was just reading about Emily Roebling, who was the project engineer's wife, and who stepped in when her husband had a disability of some kind, due to decompression sickness. But she finished the project as the first woman field engineer in history. Pretty cool story how it was built, and she was a pretty cool lady.
Its actually really impressive how few of the workers got seriously bent working in the Brooklyn bridge caissons, obviously they probably didn't record just painful bends but the workers were at about 20m for hours before being brought up directly to the surface - crazy!!
Dome diamond heist video please.
It's a cool building but they did not really think about what to put in it until it was too late.
I went there when I was 9 or 10 and even at that age it was obvious nobody new what to do with it lol it was filled with a few science and technology things but most of it was advertising
Simon, for the longest time I couldn't figure out who you remind me of. Then it hit me. Captain Kirk from Star Trek the original series. Just in how you express the scripts. Not saying it's bad. I love star trek. I just feel you need the whistle noise everytime you pop in now.
"Politics and business do not mix" Amen to that. are you listening America?
I went to see it. Despite the strangeness it was one of the most amazing things I have ever seen
I took my then 10 years ago son to it in summer of 2000. I actually thought it was really interesting. The ovo show was really good imho.
Reminds me of the Millennium Gate from Star Trek Voyager episode "11:59".
*Ahem* That was actually called the Millennium Gate, sir and/or madam. There, I have officially filed my complaint with the Department.
@@K1ddkanuck Your complaint has been registered and filed in the trash bin on the grounds that the Complaints Department doesn't care.
I remember the daily pisstake "Dome watch" on the Big breakfast. "OH MY GOD! LOOK! SOMEONE IS WORKING!"
I saw the dome in a James Bond movie years back, "The World Is Not Enough---1999." It's big.
I guess that also kind of explains how it ended being chosen as a set that got highlighted in a 007 film, with no explanation I had just expected it was a bland looking football stadium
I visited this and loved it. My favourite was the Money zone because there was million pounds displayed in the walls of a room. Gives an idea of how much a million pounds really is!
Which spoiler alert, is probably the minimum price of a decent apartment in London
@@futeramonfuturamet4830 😆😆😆
It saved James Bond’s life, isn’t that enough?
I C wha chu did there! 😜.
( I remember hearing the negativity during the development and the opening. I remember hearing the questions about its purpose 🤷. I had just assumed it had long since been demolished in the intervening years.
Now I'm hearing it still stands 😮, . . _and_ it still functions 😮, . . _and_ it was on time 😮, . . _and_ it was on budget! 😮. . . .
👏 ).
@@LowFatCurrantBun yeah I believe it’s the O2 Arena London now.
I went in the year 2000 when I was 13, I remember the soda machine the most...
The original idea was the have central drum theatre. This would have been about 120 m diameter and extend up to roof. During show on the central stage the seating deck were going to move. These would reset between shows. This steelwork for this theatre was designed and tendered before plug pulled.
These things happen ALL THE TIME in the United States. The public often pays for sports arenas and American football stadiums, even though the stadiums and arenas are owned and used by private sports owner billionaires.
From the balcony of my flat across the river, I watched the dome being built. It looked odd at first, then took shape.
With my elder daughter, I visited the place, for free, late one afternoon.
Masses of people were wanted for a practice fire alarm and evacuation, so we went . . .
The performance in the arena was pathetic and no zone had any intrinsic value, except . . . . the big, red RT bus!
I'm pleased it's now a successful entertainment venue.
I would love to learn more about this diamond heist.
It's pretty damn incredible, lol! If I remember correctly: tractors/bulldozers, mission impossible tactics, high speed boat 🚤 getaways.
November 2007 i went to see the King Tut exhibit at the O2. An exhibit where we got to see many artifacts expcept for Tut's death mask and king tut himself which they revealed his face not too long before that event. So like that event and the O2, I call it a disappointment along with a lemon.
I took my kids along - it was OK as a day out, but not amazing. Yes the exhibits were a bit random. My enduring memory is the 'Body Zone' had pubic lice! Someone must have been on the mushroom when they thought that one up 🤣🤣