SYDNEY (AP) London's Wembley Stadium has been officially handed to its owners by Australia's Multiplex Group after more than a year of delays to the reconstruction of the iconic sports ground.
"Multiplex Group is pleased to announce that the Certificate of Practical Completion has now been granted for the Wembley Stadium project in London," Multiplex said in a statement posted on its Web site on Monday.
"The granting of this certificate by Wembley National Stadium Limited marks the handover of the management and control of the stadium to WNSL." Last week, final safety checks on the historic -- and now the world's most expensive -- soccer stadium were made.
The old Wembley, built in 1923, was knocked down after staging its last game in Oct. 2000. Rebuilding costs spiraled and the scheduled opening date was put back several times.