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

[Applesisapples]

Who owns the land right now?

In some form or other I think it belongs to the Antrim County Board.

I believe that all GAA grounds belong to the Association as a whole and not boards.

[ONeill]

Ah right. I remember someone telling me it was currently owned by some American company yoke. He was full though.

[Orior]

I know a few ex Owenvarragh residents who now live in Carryduff.

Told them that if they still lived in Owenvarragh and were part of the residents groups then I would take great pleasure inflicting slow and painful physical violence on them.

The residents groups are just negotiating for a better deal.

Have a word with yourself ffs.

Okay I will indeed. But the nurses on this mental ward frown at such behaviour.

[imtommygunn]

Football allstars are out. Good selection i think.

[RadioGAAGAA]

Can't help feeling that if they'd:

- Replaced the existing stand.
- Put a roof over the existing terrace opposite.
- Bought up surrounding land and laid floodlit 4g pitches down for the locals/local clubs to use. It probably wouldn't be beyond the wit of man to make these transformable into parking areas for big matches.

That, in my opinion, would be a much better solution than a high-maintenance white elephant.

[five points]

Can't help feeling that if they'd:

- Replaced the existing stand.
- Put a roof over the existing terrace opposite.
- Bought up surrounding land and laid floodlit 4g pitches down for the locals/local clubs to use. It probably wouldn't be beyond the wit of man to make these transformable into parking areas for big matches.

That, in my opinion, would be a much better solution than a high-maintenance white elephant.

+1

And all that could have been done without ever shutting the pitch. There hasn't been a game there now for, what, 5 years? I'm beginning to fear that there'll never be another.

[armaghniac]

Can't help feeling that if they'd:

- Replaced the existing stand.
- Put a roof over the existing terrace opposite.
- Bought up surrounding land and laid floodlit 4g pitches down for the locals/local clubs to use. It probably wouldn't be beyond the wit of man to make these transformable into parking areas for big matches.

That, in my opinion, would be a much better solution than a high-maintenance white elephant.

+1

And all that could have been done without ever shutting the pitch. There hasn't been a game there now for, what, 5 years? I'm beginning to fear that there'll never be another.

This would have been a pitch for Antrim, but not much use of the windfall money for the rest of us.

However, there is no reason why the pitch could not have been kept open while this planning etc was taking place. The pitch should not have been closed until they were ready to go, even if they didn't have any big games using all the capacity.

[Antrim Coaster]

Can't help feeling that if they'd:

- Replaced the existing stand.
- Put a roof over the existing terrace opposite.
- Bought up surrounding land and laid floodlit 4g pitches down for the locals/local clubs to use. It probably wouldn't be beyond the wit of man to make these transformable into parking areas for big matches.

That, in my opinion, would be a much better solution than a high-maintenance white elephant.

+1

And all that could have been done without ever shutting the pitch. There hasn't been a game there now for, what, 5 years? I'm beginning to fear that there'll never be another.

This would have been a pitch for Antrim, but not much use of the windfall money for the rest of us.

However, there is no reason why the pitch could not have been kept open while this planning etc was taking place. The pitch should not have been closed until they were ready to go, even if they didn't have any big games using all the capacity.

The stand in Casement required rewiring in order to obtain a safety certificate from the Belfast Council. It would have cost £10,000 to complete this.

As the funding was in place to develop the stadium the Antrim County Board decided against spending that type of money on a structure which was to be demolished as part of the new stadium build. As a result the safety certificate was not awarded and the ground closed as a result

[illdecide]

Well it seems they have changed the design and rectified the safety end of things and the only real stumbling block is the residents objecting, I really can't see what their issue is. I know there is a handful that will be directly effected by the larger stands and those effected should be well reimbursed for their troubles but for the majority of the rest of them it's just being obtuse to what this can bring to their community. The new design will actually be better as the proposed lighting will not have the light spill that the current flood lights have and will not light half of West Belfast, think of the extra jobs it will bring and the facilities for their kids and grand kids as well as their community.

Only a crooked aul f**ker would object to the new design, Antrim Football and Hurling need this. Get it done.

[RadioGAAGAA]

This would have been a pitch for Antrim, but not much use of the windfall money for the rest of us.

Why?

Whats the material difference between that and what will be built? Roughly same capacity - only difference is there is more standing.

Which I see as a plus point.

[JPGJOHNNYG]

Yup, that's what they really want so that they can then wallow in self pity

Dougal you have very strongly held opinions for someone who'll be in the place a couple of times a year. The residents will see it every day.

Genuine question does anyone know how many residents are still against it. I do object to the fact that it is assummed that all in Owenvarragh and Moorland are against it which is a lie and even some who were not overly happy were still thinking of taking compensation payments when the last design was proposed. Likewise plenty seem to just accuse the ARC of being a SF front - no idea who they are but maybe just maybe they actually are genuine.

Anyway the main reason I was posting is that at least a crumbling casement will make a good backdrop to a new short film about boxing in Belfast

[illdecide]

Shocking state all together...It looks like an old bombed site you'd see from Israel

[armaghniac]

Shocking state all together...It looks like an old bombed site you'd see from Israel

it is often said that in the public that nobody is held accountable, but who in the GAA is held accountable for this?  There was no reason why the ground could not have used in the meantime, for most types of games.

[imtommygunn]

ulster council or antrim gaa?

probably no one in either actually...

The main guy left but looks more like he got a promotion than was pushed unless I'm wrong on that.

[Walter Cronc]

Ryan Feeney? He's at Queens now I think?