Casement Park in line for major overhaul - 40,000 all seater Stadium.

[tiempo]

In 2005 a plan was submitted for The Stadium for Cornwall, a 10-14,000 seater as a regional stadium for multi-sport. 18 years later the council agreed to part fund a 4,000 seater and the proposal died.

Yes there is a huge sectarian-political aspect to what's gone regards to Casement, and a ball of incompetence, but also having the Government as partners in any such enterprise is always likely to half f**k proactive initiative on a routine basis.

I'd love to see Casement rebuilt as a top notch 8-9,000 capacity (10-12k max) with specific emphasis on how best to design a stadium of that size to give a great atmosphere - then have this stadium as the default venue for Ulster Club and Ulster Colleges finals - there's more to life than the Ulster Final, as well as Antrim GAA county teams and club competitions of course. Basically what Casement was before but on a smaller scale with a modern look and feel, but as I said, atmosphere as a key component to design.

There's a soundbite that a generation of Antrim Gaels has missed out on playing at Casement and thats true, but lets not kid ourselves that anything from juvenile finals to Antrim county games/county finals in a 30,000+ seater stadium makes sense, make the stadium more compact more about community feel and not a soulless behemoth that sits empty 99% of the time even when in use by Antrim Gaels.

Clones if not utilised becomes the next Casement style rotting wasteland, that can't be allowed to happen either. There are only so many 25,000+ stadiums needed in any province, Clones and Breffni tick the box in that regard and should remain as the home of the Ulster final and backup option if needed.

[Armagh18]

Clones isn't really fit for purpose.

Build a modern 25-30k stadium if the euros money isn't happening.

[armaghniac]

Clones if not utilised becomes the next Casement style rotting wasteland, that can't be allowed to happen either. There are only so many 25,000+ stadiums needed in any province, Clones and Breffni tick the box in that regard and should remain as the home of the Ulster final and backup option if needed.

The problem is the provision of money that could only be used in one place rather than another.

But the GAA itself hugely mismanaged this, there is no reason that Antrim could not have been using it all along, even if the old stand had to be demolished, the terraces could have been maintained. There needs to be an accounting within the GAA as to how the happened.

[93-DY-SAM]

Clones isn't really fit for purpose.

Build a modern 25-30k stadium if the euros money isn't happening.

Fully agree.

[twohands!!!]

Clones isn't really fit for purpose.

Build a modern 25-30k stadium if the euros money isn't happening.

Fully agree.

The concern is that even a 25k stadium might be more than the Ulster Council can afford/lead to a repeat of the PuC situation (massive debt for years to come) depending on how little/much Labour are willing to contribute, especially with the Euros off the table.

[armaghniac]

Clones isn't really fit for purpose.

Build a modern 25-30k stadium if the euros money isn't happening.

Fully agree.

The concern is that even a 25k stadium might be more than the Ulster Council can afford/lead to a repeat of the PuC situation (massive debt for years to come) depending on how little/much Labour are willing to contribute, especially with the Euros off the table.

The diplomatic solution would be for Benn to say something like, this is not going to be ready for the Euros, but we realise that time and money has been wasted on this Euro thing so here is some money for the GAA stadium and we'll give the Euros to somewhere in England that voted for us and spend the rest of the money there. Most people happy.

[trueblue1234]

But it's not as if the GAA need it to be fully funded. They have god knows how many assets with dept against it. If they build a modest stadium and even if they only owe 50% of the dept is that not still a fair good position to be in?

[johnnycool]

But it's not as if the GAA need it to be fully funded. They have god knows how many assets with dept against it. If they build a modest stadium and even if they only owe 50% of the dept is that not still a fair good position to be in?

I suppose Antrim CB could help fund a few million towards it.

 

[Duine Inteacht Eile]

But it's not as if the GAA need it to be fully funded. They have god knows how many assets with dept against it. If they build a modest stadium and even if they only owe 50% of the dept is that not still a fair good position to be in?

I suppose Antrim CB could help fund a few million towards it.

 

Antrim have invested quite a bit into this. They have given their ground over to Ulster GAA for free. Seeing as it is a stadium for all of Ulster, I suggest the other 8 county boards stump up some dough. Something to the same value of what Antrim gave would be a fine start.

[RadioGAAGAA]

Antrim have invested quite a bit into this. They have given their ground over to Ulster GAA for free.

Indeed.

How many houses could a builder put onto the footprint of Casement?

Antrim CB have handed over the equivalent of an awful lot of money and got absolutely f**k all back.

They should have at least demanded a 4 pitch development centre be built by Ulster Council as compensation, and that would have proceeded immediately regardless on Casement's progress. With a wee stand would have served as an interim county ground like Owenbeg.

[Duine Inteacht Eile]

They should have done lots of things. And they were asked to, believe me.

[RadioGAAGAA]

They should have done lots of things. And they were asked to, believe me.

Pity those affected didn't air more of this dirty laundry in public a bit earlier and get rid of those in Ulster Council who clearly aren't capable of delivering the projects.

[Sportacus]

What bugs me (amongst other things) is that Antrim will be locked out most days of the years.  Just my hunch, but I'll not be at all surprised. 

Anyway, if England win the Euros and they all get carried away, there'll be a wee political window to get the money released as soccer will be the be all and end all for a while.

[weareros]

What bugs me (amongst other things) is that Antrim will be locked out most days of the years.  Just my hunch, but I'll not be at all surprised. 

Anyway, if England win the Euros and they all get carried away, there'll be a wee political window to get the money released as soccer will be the be all and end all for a while.

Were that to happen it would certainly give truth to the Seanfhocal - it's an ill wind that doesn't bring some luck.

[twohands!!!]

What bugs me (amongst other things) is that Antrim will be locked out most days of the years.  Just my hunch, but I'll not be at all surprised. 

Anyway, if England win the Euros and they all get carried away, there'll be a wee political window to get the money released as soccer will be the be all and end all for a while.

Were that to happen it would certainly give truth to the Seanfhocal - it's an ill wind that doesn't bring some luck.

It possibly might help some bit, but I think the fact that the odds of Casement being used for the Euros game are close to zero now, mean the final result/getting to the final aren't likely to help all that much in terms of what Labour pony up.