- guardian.co.uk, Tuesday May 23 2000 08.51 BST
Peter Brooke, national heritage secretary, proposes exhibition to mark end of century.
1994
Millennium Commission set up by John Major.
1996
February: Greenwich wins bid to host dome
1997
June Treasury chiefs urge Tony Blair to scrap project. PM remains in favour and names Peter Mandelson minister for millennium.
1998
January: Stephen Bayley, creative director, resigns.
June: Structure of dome completed. Tony Blair promises "best day out on earth" .
1999
September: Tickets go on sale.
November The dome's original lottery grant of £400m quickly eaten up, and the Millennium Commission loans dome £50m.
1999/2000 New Year's Eve Dome celebrations get off to a slow start as invited guests have to queue for hours.
2000
January: The Millennium Commission allocates an extra £60m of lottery money.
February: Jennie Page, chief executive, sacked and replaced by Pierre Yves Gerbeau, of Disneyland Paris.
April: Visitor numbers still well below estimated targets.
May: Gerbeau tells commission it needs yet more cash. Bob Ayling, chairman of New Millennium Experience Company, forced to resign as condition of £29m refunding.
