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

[Dreadnought]

The Ulster Council, when Casement not sold out, should be handing out hundreds of free tickets to clubs and schools etc. to encourage kids/parents and clubs etc. to boost the GAA. Good PR.

In fairness, they should be doing this anyway.

I get the reasoning, but this doesn't work long term. Yes, do a game here or there with all U16s free. But if you just hand out free tickets for loads of people, you undermine those paying, and those who do pay won't as they'll want the handout instead

Doubt too many will begrudge a few school kids getting tickets.

Oh yeah absolutely. I just wouldn't be handing out tickets every time a game isn't fully sold out is all. Target certain games and all that

[Derryman forever]

We need a modern stadium irrespective of the costs. £200, £300m, £400m, £500m who really gives a f**k? Like a proper f**k? We're getting it and Stormont, the British Gov, and the GAA can pay for it.

End of.

Yup.

Yup X 2

[Sportacus]

We need a modern stadium irrespective of the costs. £200, £300m, £400m, £500m who really gives a f**k? Like a proper f**k? We're getting it and Stormont, the British Gov, and the GAA can pay for it.

End of.

Haven't seen this attitude since the DUP SpAds filled their boots during RHI.  Amateur hour - let's just build it, there won't be any consequences for
me.

[armaghniac]

The RHI went up in smoke, this stadium might be there in 50 years, which will do me.

[Sportacus]

The RHI went up in smoke, this stadium might be there in 50 years, which will do me.

You don't think anyone is still being paid?

[seafoid]

Why are people so animated about the cost? Genuine question. Do you believe that by not building it the money will somehow be spent on some other part of government that will deliver some top class service or something? What is it about the cost specifically that people care about? 

Casement would allow Belfast to attract bigger acts and bigger games. Windsor Park is a great bunch of lads but it is only 18k capacity. Ravenhill isn't great either. Ulster could play the Southern hemisphere teams in Casement.  Belfast needs the project.


Because the same thing that happened in Cork is going to happen except it's going to be across all of Ulster GAA as opposed to just one county when it comes to the paying of it. It's going to hoover up a huge percentage of the available money while being built and for a good while after, especially if it isn't able to make profit as a going concern. I think there is a serious risk of cutbacks and restrictions on spending across every absolutely every aspect of Ulster GAA for a good number of years.

Does anyone actually know how much it will cost?
Has anyone seen the business case that will cover the ongoing running costs?

It'll have to be top spec to meet the Euros standard.  So who maintains the catering facilities and hospitality suites every day of the week when the Euros are long gone?

Where are the commitments from American football organisers or concert promoters to use the stadium?

Has Antrim any commitment from Ulster Council that they can use the ground, and at what cost?

Who wouldn't want a shiny big stadium to sit in if someone else is paying for it.  But this is big stuff and I don't see any evidence that the people involved have the professionalism to make it work beyond the first few months that it opens. I wouldn't fancy sinking my money into it.

[twohands!!!]

Pretty much the only thing I've seen about estimated cost of the stadium anywhere was the bit below from the Examiner.

Some projections claim the final cost of reconstruction of the Euro 2028 venue will be in excess of £225m. The GAA's first commitment of £15m was roughly 20% of the original £77.5m outlay, which was estimated last July to have jumped to £168m.

Based on that I'd say £168m was an absolute basement price - this was before the Euros were confirmed and that time pressure (plus the extras UEFA insist on which will cost a bit more) is only going to affect the price one way. Throw in the fact that Leo and co pitched up with €50million already make me think the cost will be over the £200 million mark. The key question is what sort of funding London is going to actually hand over.
My fear is that at the end of the day Ulster GAA are going to be the ones left carrying the can for any cost over-runs, especially if the stadium isn't done in time for the Euros. The nightmare scenario is that the stadium doesn't get finished in time for the Euros and London turns off the money tap and Ulster GAA are left with a stadium that will costs millions to finish that Ulster GAA don't have.   

In related news was talking to someone this evening and they were saying the Cork County Board chairperson was on radio this morning and part of the disussion was about ownership of Pairc Ui Chaoimh being taken over by the government and being turned into a multi-use stadium. Said the current ongoing debt situation just wasn't sustainable.

[Eire90]

what big matches are going to be at casement apart from ulster finals.

[seafoid]

Pretty much the only thing I've seen about estimated cost of the stadium anywhere was the bit below from the Examiner.

Some projections claim the final cost of reconstruction of the Euro 2028 venue will be in excess of £225m. The GAA's first commitment of £15m was roughly 20% of the original £77.5m outlay, which was estimated last July to have jumped to £168m.

Based on that I'd say £168m was an absolute basement price - this was before the Euros were confirmed and that time pressure (plus the extras UEFA insist on which will cost a bit more) is only going to affect the price one way. Throw in the fact that Leo and co pitched up with €50million already make me think the cost will be over the £200 million mark. The key question is what sort of funding London is going to actually hand over.
My fear is that at the end of the day Ulster GAA are going to be the ones left carrying the can for any cost over-runs, especially if the stadium isn't done in time for the Euros. The nightmare scenario is that the stadium doesn't get finished in time for the Euros and London turns off the money tap and Ulster GAA are left with a stadium that will costs millions to finish that Ulster GAA don't have.   

In related news was talking to someone this evening and they were saying the Cork County Board chairperson was on radio this morning and part of the disussion was about ownership of Pairc Ui Chaoimh being taken over by the government and being turned into a multi-use stadium. Said the current ongoing debt situation just wasn't sustainable.

If the Brits are ponying up it won't be an exclusively GAA stadium so soccer matches will probably be played it it.

[snoopdog]

Pretty much the only thing I've seen about estimated cost of the stadium anywhere was the bit below from the Examiner.

Some projections claim the final cost of reconstruction of the Euro 2028 venue will be in excess of £225m. The GAA's first commitment of £15m was roughly 20% of the original £77.5m outlay, which was estimated last July to have jumped to £168m.

Based on that I'd say £168m was an absolute basement price - this was before the Euros were confirmed and that time pressure (plus the extras UEFA insist on which will cost a bit more) is only going to affect the price one way. Throw in the fact that Leo and co pitched up with €50million already make me think the cost will be over the £200 million mark. The key question is what sort of funding London is going to actually hand over.
My fear is that at the end of the day Ulster GAA are going to be the ones left carrying the can for any cost over-runs, especially if the stadium isn't done in time for the Euros. The nightmare scenario is that the stadium doesn't get finished in time for the Euros and London turns off the money tap and Ulster GAA are left with a stadium that will costs millions to finish that Ulster GAA don't have.   

In related news was talking to someone this evening and they were saying the Cork County Board chairperson was on radio this morning and part of the disussion was about ownership of Pairc Ui Chaoimh being taken over by the government and being turned into a multi-use stadium. Said the current ongoing debt situation just wasn't sustainable.

If the Brits are ponying up it won't be an exclusively GAA stadium so soccer matches will probably be played it it.

Norn iron will only play there if they qualify for euros. Their fans don't want to go near casement. It might get a ROI match or 2. Ulster rugby might play a few games there also. IRFU COULD PLAY SOME OF THEIR novembee friendlies, It could get a europa league/ Conference finals. But very few soccer games will be there I'd say post the Euros.

[AustinPowers]

 CAught a bit of big Nolan other night.  Some bigot on with him stirring the pot. Nolan wasn't  exactly innocent either continually asking stupid questions . Mainly how  is everyone going  to benefit from Casement?

The Euros  will likely bring  hundreds of millions  to the northern economy.  If Casement isn't built , those 5 or 6 matches will be moved somewhere else eg. Dublin, Manchester, Glasgow etc.   So the likes of Manchester will be  gifted hundreds of millions to  their  economy instead of Belfast.

It's amazing how some people can't see beyond  the bigotry and  see the bigger picture

[Rossfan]

Hardly "Hundreds of millions"

[AustinPowers]

Hardly "Hundreds of millions"

I got carried  away there.

Well, a  million billion at least   

[Eire90]

is there a possibility boxing could be a casement park too if they get a big enough fight.

[FermPundit]

If the argument was solely an economic one and without government support, Casement Park wouldn't be redeveloped.