Legal contracts are being drawn up by officials at Birmingham City Council to seal the deal that was first publicly announced in March 2007, when news of it was broken exclusively by insidethegames.

 

 

Refurbishment of the netted area for discus and hammer throwing and resurfacing of the running track are two of the conditions demanded by the US team in return for choosing to acclimatise and train here before heading to London for the Games.

 

It will be part of an overall overhaul of facilities at Alexander Stadium, which is located in the Perry Barr area of Birmingham and was opened in 1976, ahead of possibile bid from the city to host the 2022 Commonwealth Games.

 

Martin Mullaney, Birmingham's Council Cabinet member for Leisure, Sport and Culture is expected to outline his vision for a new-look Alexander Stadium in the autumn.

 

Early plans are to increase the capacity of the Stadium, which staged the UK trials for the 2008 Olympics and 2009 World Championships, from 8,000 to 25,000 by 2022.

 

That would still make Alexander Stadium the smallest venue to host the Games since Meadowbank Stadium in Edinburgh staged it in 1986.

 

They had a capacity of 16,500.

 

The capacity of the City of Manchester Stadium on the last occasion that England hosted the Games in 2002 was 38,000.

 

Hampden Park, which is due to be the main stadium when Glasgow hosts the Games in 2014, has a capacity of 52,063, although that will be reduced when the track is put in.

 

Mullaney said: “Resurfacing of the running track would have happened, anyway, but it will be done in time for the Americans.

 

“We haven’t decided yet whether to go for the Commonwealth Games but if we do decide to bid we would have to increase the capacity of the stadium.”

 

Mullaney said attracting the US track and field team to Birmingham was a “major coup” for the city.

 

He said: “This will be a huge boost to the city.

 

"Birmingham will be on television screens across America and we will have the US and world media in Birmingham.”

 

Mike Whitby, the Leader of Birmingham City Council, said: “This has been a marathon journey.

 

"I first met Stephanie Hightower, then chairman of US Track and Field, in Birmingham in March 2007.

 

“Now I sense we are on the final lap before truly cementing this exceptional coup for Birmingham.

 

“This week’s Cabinet report brings the historic day, when we will cement the relationship between Birmingham and USA Athletics, a massive step closer.”