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

[Muzz]

I should add that the £61 million will then go to Stormont to be spent on other projects if not used in time.

[rrhf]

Ok so theres still some hope..

[Lecale2]

I don't think you'll be far wrong.

DoE will probably fast track the application as they only have to address the issues identified by Mr Justice Horner.

[cluaineois]

If he is sure hes wrong...

£61million of the £77 million has come from the British Government

Oh you of little faith. 61 million from british government the rest coming from gaa. Figures differ depending on which source but this one says 15 million from Gaa.
http://www.northernireland.gov.uk/news-dcal-191213-multi-million-pound

[BennyHarp]

If he is sure hes wrong...

£61million of the £77 million has come from the British Government

Oh you of little faith. 61 million from british government the rest coming from gaa. Figures differ depending on which source but this one says 15 million from Gaa.
http://www.northernireland.gov.uk/news-dcal-191213-multi-million-pound

That's exactly what Muzz said. I can't expect the British Gov will fund a £61m investment in the south  of Ireland. The £15m from the GAA is hardly going to sway that one.

[JPGJOHNNYG]

Sports Minister Carál Ní Chuilín has said that the £61.4m of government funding for the stalled Casement Park stadium redevelopment is not in danger of being lost to the project.

http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/gaelic-games/30524089

[cluaineois]

If he is sure hes wrong...

£61million of the £77 million has come from the British Government

Oh you of little faith. 61 million from british government the rest coming from gaa. Figures differ depending on which source but this one says 15 million from Gaa.
http://www.northernireland.gov.uk/news-dcal-191213-multi-million-pound

That's exactly what Muzz said. I can't expect the British Gov will fund a £61m investment in the south  of Ireland. The £15m from the GAA is hardly going to sway that one.

I was referring to the 16-17 million that the Gaa was due to put into this project and never mentioned the british government money

[cluaineois]

I don't think the GAA has any intention of investing this money into Clones. They are only willing to stump up that cash as a top up on the 61 million.

I am aware that plans were in place to improve access to the pitch in Clones prior to the arse falling out of the southern economy. If this project in Casement falls through in its present form and the british money is distributed to the wee six counties why not ?

[DennistheMenace]

So we'll hear today i presume.

Not sure what the compromise will be if it comes to light, the GAA need a 30-35k stadium and anything less and it probably isn't viable for them. Clones whilst I enjoy the trips there (not the traffic) a modern state of the art stadium makes far more sense strategically for the GAA to be in Belfast.

[johnneycool]

I don't think the GAA has any intention of investing this money into Clones. They are only willing to stump up that cash as a top up on the 61 million.

I am aware that plans were in place to improve access to the pitch in Clones prior to the arse falling out of the southern economy. If this project in Casement falls through in its present form and the british money is distributed to the wee six counties why not ?

Casement in its present form to get kicked into touch today is what I'm hearing..


As for developing Clones, well any state of the art modern stadium will not survive on a few big football gates in a year and will need to be multi-functional, concerts, conferences and what not. Clones does not have the infrastructure, hotels, etc etc to facilitate that and won't happen, it'd be pure folly.

Its a Greater Belfast site or bust I'm afraid.

[Feckitt]

I much prefer Clones as a venue for Ulster Finals, the atmosphere, the town, the craic, I fear a lot of this will be lost if the thing is moved to Belfast,

but for the future development of the GAA in Ulster then the thing has to go to Belfast.  I'm not overly enthusiastic about Andersonstown to put it mildly, but we have to promote the GAA in Belfast.  The GAA is the North's biggest and best sporting organisation.  Today the Belfast Telegraph printed their Top10 sporting highlights of 2014, The GAA didn't feature at all!  By ignoring Belfast we are never going to fulfill the true potential of Gaelic Games in the North.  They cannot treat us as a minority sport when over 30,000 are regularly attending matches in Belfast.  With big attendances comes confidence and the ability for people to display more openly their pride in Irish and Gaelic culture.

[DennistheMenace]

It has to be in Belfast I agree, whether that is Casement or not is another question.
I can't believe it's still ongoing with Ravenhill now fully developed and Windsor I hear near completion.

[JPGJOHNNYG]

If its not going to be bigger than 30-32000 then it is pointless. Time to look elsewhere in Belfast unfortunately potential sites are few and far between. Other blogs have looked at Titanic quarter, North foreshore and even the Maze. Cant see Musgrave park being allowed and Im pretty sure the parks in West Belfast are too small

[blewuporstuffed]

Would Boucher playing feilds across the M1 not be an option? they already hold a major concert there every year with Tennants vital

[DennistheMenace]

How much will it cost to acquire the land elsewhere in Belfast? Antrim GAA have given them Casement Park for nothing.

A fair whack I'd imagine for prime real estate on Boucher Road. Restart planning permission process etc..

If Casement Park project doesn't go ahead and is confined to the history books the biggest losers will be the businesses of West Belfast.