Sebastian Coe reckons the legacy of Manchester United's new £2billion stadium can be even bigger than that of the London 2012 Olympics. Lord Coe played a major role in the successful 2012 Olympics bid and the regeneration of the area around the London Stadium, now home to West Ham. He believes the same effect can happen in the area around Old Trafford, with United's new state-of-the-art stadium the centrepiece of the regeneration plan – but on an even greater scale. “If you create, around a sporting hub, the infrastructure and ambition to think big, you really can transform a neighbourhood,” said Lord Coe. “It’s worth pondering on what was achieved in East London on exactly the same premise. This was 520 hectares of land that was, in large part, devoid of economic activity for 60 or 70 years. “Through sporting infrastructure, we created a landscape where we built a new city inside an old city in seven years. Attached to that are homes, jobs, businesses, educational establishments and the largest retail development anywhere in Europe for 25 years. “This project in Manchester, built around the construction of a football stadium, has the potential to be bigger. I think that was the recognition dawning on us, as members of the task force, when we recognised this really did have the potential to be the most potent and largest driving force around regeneration and sport anywhere in Europe. “The biggest and most powerful regeneration projects I’ve witnessed in the last 30 or 40 years or been involved with are all built around sport. The challenges are profound, but Manchester United is one of the biggest sporting properties in the world and deserves a stadium befitting that.” Will Manchester United's new stadium be a success? Have your say in the comments section. Andy Burnham, mayor of Greater Manchester, echoed Coe's sentiment, saying: "Our common goal on the Task Force has been to try to unlock the full power of the club for the benefit of its supporters and for Greater Manchester as a whole - creating thousands of new homes and jobs. "If we get this right, the regeneration impact could be bigger and better than London 2012. Manchester United could, and indeed should, have the best football stadium in the world. "To me, that means a stadium that is true to the traditions of the club, affordable to all, with nobody priced out, and a stadium that sets new standards in the game globally. I believe this vision can be realised, and if so, the benefits for Greater Manchester, the north west and the country will be huge." Join our new MAN UTD WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Manchester United content from Mirror Football. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.