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

Started by Joxer, October 06, 2010, 02:42:28 PM

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Maguire01

Quote from: JPGJOHNNYG on November 03, 2010, 12:27:47 PM
QuoteIs there even a shred of evidence that the GAA would allow the stadium be used like this or that any of the users would want it?
No but surely it makes financial sense. The stadium is going to be upgraded anyway so seeing its located in a big city then why not look at other options. If the GAA buried its head in the sand and built it soley for the Ulster final then yes it would be a massive waste of money and a white elephant and I would agree with you then that they should leave the stadium as it is. However a new stadium run well will pay for itself
It might make financial sense for the stadium to have the All Ireland final there, but it's not going to happen. The GAA have to be realistic about the potential for the stadium's use.

Quote from: JPGJOHNNYG on November 03, 2010, 12:27:47 PM
QuoteConcert promoters will be reluctant to bring any big concerts into West Belfast for the fear of alienating half of the community.
Times have moved on and will hopefully continue to do so. We all have to try and live together at some stage. Obviously located in a Nationalist area but also right beside the mixed Balmoral area and not very far from the Kings Hall which served as Belfasts main concert venue for decades
Are you familiar with Belfast at all. The Shankill is very close to the mixed city centre area. I don't know how many people would want to head there for a concert. Just because one area is close to another means nothing.
Not a hope concert promoters would use Casement.

Quote from: JPGJOHNNYG on November 03, 2010, 12:27:47 PM
QuoteUlster rugby will never have the need to use Casement regardless if the GAA was to change its rules. Is it there really any need for another white elephant which will be full maybe once/twice a year. Yes redevelop Casement but not at a cost of £100 million.
It wont do any harm to ask them. Im sure Ulster rugby wouldnt mind a share of the bigger profits they would get from a 40000 crowd as oppossed to 15000 crowd at Ravenhill.
I'd imagine Ulster rugby would rather relocate to Lansdowne Rd that Andersonstown Rd.

mentor

Casement will be some stadium when a decision is taken to fonally revamp it. A perfect easily accessible venue for the Ulster final in future years. All nine county grounds in Ulster look great, I think Ulster may actually be the most advanced province in terms of ground development. We have the new Athletics Ground ready in early 2011 and work ongoing at Newry's Pairc Esler changing rooms which will be finished by xmas.

WeeDonns

QuoteIs there even a shred of evidence that the GAA would allow the stadium be used like this or that any of the users would want it?


Yes there is. The GAA have another stadium in Dublin, its called Croke Park. They made it available to other users when needed when the FAI/IRFU made it known that they would be interested. They have since made no secret of the fact that it would be available if they needed it again, even though the Aviva is now complete.

Surely this is a 'shred' of evidence that the GAA would allow similar use of their stadium in Belfast?

QuoteNot a hope concert promoters would use Casement.

That's not a fact, its your opinion

QuoteAs for the city where "hundreds of thousands of people live" - they may well do, but they're not the people who go to GAA games.

Where are your figures to back this up? I live in this city and I am the sort of person that goes to GAA games. I'd say there are far more GAA members within 30mins of Belfast than there are within 30mins of Clones

Sandy Hill

You have just bought a brand new BMW Z4 (dream on); would you park it in West Belfast while you went to a match or a concert?
"Stercus accidit"

WeeDonns

QuoteYou have just bought a brand new BMW Z4 (dream on); would you park it in West Belfast while you went to a match or a concert?
No. I'd park it in one of the car parks on the Boucher road that are stewarded on match day, as it would be easier to get away.

However I did park my new car on the Falls last night for a few hours and when i came back it was still there! Not everyone in west Belfast is a car thief!
I live in Malone and my housemate had his wingmirrors kicked off last week - couldn't have been the local kids though, the westies must have walked over ::)

Franko

Quote from: Sandy Hill on November 04, 2010, 03:41:59 PM
You have just bought a brand new BMW Z4 (dream on); would you park it in West Belfast while you went to a match or a concert?

Yep - ball of scrap.

JPGJOHNNYG

Ha ha reading most of these posts you would think everyone in west belfast was a hood. I never knew GAA supporters to be so snobish. Scrap the Casement plans judging by the comments here are only option is a new stadium in Cultra! ;D

armaghniac

QuoteScrap the Casement plans judging by the comments here are only option is a new stadium in Cultra!

Gaa supporters are even thinner on the ground in Cultra than West Belfast, even if your car is safer there.
If at first you don't succeed, then goto Plan B

JPGJOHNNYG

All joking aside if casement is developed it will hopefully awake the sleeping giant that is Antrim and get the locals behind the antrim football team - a lot easier to go to Casement for a GAA match than the round trip to parkhead every other week to watch Celtic.

Maguire01

Quote from: WeeDonns on November 04, 2010, 08:04:29 AM
QuoteIs there even a shred of evidence that the GAA would allow the stadium be used like this or that any of the users would want it?
Yes there is. The GAA have another stadium in Dublin, its called Croke Park. They made it available to other users when needed when the FAI/IRFU made it known that they would be interested. They have since made no secret of the fact that it would be available if they needed it again, even though the Aviva is now complete.

Surely this is a 'shred' of evidence that the GAA would allow similar use of their stadium in Belfast?
I'm not sure if you're quoting me or not (hit the 'insert quote' link on the post you're quoting).
Croke Park may well allow Casement to be used for non-GAA events. But there's no evidence that any of the potential users would be interested. I can't see the IFA or Ulster Rugby being interested.

Quote from: WeeDonns on November 04, 2010, 08:04:29 AM
QuoteNot a hope concert promoters would use Casement.

That's not a fact, its your opinion
And? What's your basis for saying they would use it? They haven't used it to date.
I don't think a promoter would risk losing a proportion of their customers when they can continue to use the King's Hall, Botanic Gardens, Ward Park, Giant's Park etc.

Quote from: WeeDonns on November 04, 2010, 08:04:29 AM
QuoteAs for the city where "hundreds of thousands of people live" - they may well do, but they're not the people who go to GAA games.

Where are your figures to back this up? I live in this city and I am the sort of person that goes to GAA games. I'd say there are far more GAA members within 30mins of Belfast than there are within 30mins of Clones
I'm basing it on the crowds i've seen at games in Casement and where they come from.

Applesisapples

Quote from: armaghniac on November 04, 2010, 06:07:12 PM
QuoteScrap the Casement plans judging by the comments here are only option is a new stadium in Cultra!

Gaa supporters are even thinner on the ground in Cultra than West Belfast, even if your car is safer there.
They would rather have an incinerator in Cultra!!

WeeDonns

Quote from: Maguire01 on November 04, 2010, 07:13:32 PM
Quote from: WeeDonns on November 04, 2010, 08:04:29 AM
QuoteIs there even a shred of evidence that the GAA would allow the stadium be used like this or that any of the users would want it?
Yes there is. The GAA have another stadium in Dublin, its called Croke Park. They made it available to other users when needed when the FAI/IRFU made it known that they would be interested. They have since made no secret of the fact that it would be available if they needed it again, even though the Aviva is now complete.

Surely this is a 'shred' of evidence that the GAA would allow similar use of their stadium in Belfast?
I'm not sure if you're quoting me or not (hit the 'insert quote' link on the post you're quoting).
Croke Park may well allow Casement to be used for non-GAA events. But there's no evidence that any of the potential users would be interested. I can't see the IFA or Ulster Rugby being interested.

Sorry i wasn't quoting you there, but

There were 2 questions in that statement;
1.   is there a shred of evidence that the GAA would allow the stadium be used like this
2.   Is there a shred of evidence that any of the users would want it?

I was answering the first bit.
At the moment its very unlikely that the Ulster Rugby or the IFA would be interested in using it, especially with their own developments in the pipeline, but 10-20 years from now you never know how things will have progressed here.
I do however think that concert promoters may be interested, depending on the atmosphere etc that could be created.

Quote from: Maguire01 on November 04, 2010, 07:13:32 PM

Quote from: WeeDonns on November 04, 2010, 08:04:29 AM
QuoteNot a hope concert promoters would use Casement.

That's not a fact, its your opinion
And? What's your basis for saying they would use it? They haven't used it to date.
I don't think a promoter would risk losing a proportion of their customers when they can continue to use the King's Hall, Botanic Gardens, Ward Park, Giant's Park etc.

No, obviously they haven't used it to date. But surely if the place is developed into a modem fit for purpose venue, as suggested by a previous poster, then surely it has the potential to host such events? The only argument against this is its location within Belfast. There are plenty of examples of other such venues on the outskirts of cities in an area that doesn't have a good name. Drumcondra wouldn't have the best name for itself.
Obviously many from the unionist community still wouldn't be keen on going to a gig in west Belfast, and there are a number of alternative neutral sites available, but there is no need to just totally rule out the new casement as a potential venue.

Quote from: Maguire01 on November 04, 2010, 07:13:32 PM
Quote from: WeeDonns on November 04, 2010, 08:04:29 AM
QuoteAs for the city where "hundreds of thousands of people live" - they may well do, but they're not the people who go to GAA games.

Where are your figures to back this up? I live in this city and I am the sort of person that goes to GAA games. I'd say there are far more GAA members within 30mins of Belfast than there are within 30mins of Clones
I'm basing it on the crowds i've seen at games in Casement and where they come from.
How do you know where they come from? Just because me, and thousands like me, were in Casement Park this summer with Tyrone jerseys on us, doesn't mean we came up the M1 to watch the game.

The Worker

This money could be used to build a stadium with a roof on it.

this would allieviate the need to postpone major games at this time of year, such as the ulster final (2 weeks in a row).

rrhf


Maguire01

Quote from: The Worker on December 03, 2010, 03:55:46 PM
This money could be used to build a stadium with a roof on it.

this would allieviate the need to postpone major games at this time of year, such as the ulster final (2 weeks in a row).
Agreed. c20,000 capacity with a roof would be a far better use of resources than another massive stadium that might be full once a year, whilst similar stadia lie empty.