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

[RadioGAAGAA]

https://twitter.com/AontroimGAA/status/1032007139710193666

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZeUCwq2mDFw

Why the f**k was it closed before building of the new stadium could commence?

Asbestos? (I think...?)

[Milltown Row2]

https://twitter.com/AontroimGAA/status/1032007139710193666

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZeUCwq2mDFw

Why the f**k was it closed before building of the new stadium could commence?

Asbestos? (I think...?)

Part of the stand couldnt get insurance (electrical issues and structure?) , so it would have needed money spent on it, but the rest of the ground was fine.. So with what seemed at the time that it was in the bag, they closed the ground and obviously saved money on the not having it opened..

But hindsight is a wonderfull thing, with the likes of Ravenhill getting the green light and Windsor sure why wouldnt Casement not get up and running at the time!

A whole generation of kids will never have been to Casement or played on it by the time it re opens (if ever) which is not right.. what other county ground sits like that?

Planning and permission from all residents should have taken place long before the gates were closed

[Tony Baloney]

https://twitter.com/AontroimGAA/status/1032007139710193666

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZeUCwq2mDFw

Why the f**k was it closed before building of the new stadium could commence?

Asbestos? (I think...?)

Part of the stand couldnt get insurance (electrical issues and structure?) , so it would have needed money spent on it, but the rest of the ground was fine.. So with what seemed at the time that it was in the bag, they closed the ground and obviously saved money on the not having it opened..

But hindsight is a wonderfull thing, with the likes of Ravenhill getting the green light and Windsor sure why wouldnt Casement not get up and running at the time!

A whole generation of kids will never have been to Casement or played on it by the time it re opens (if ever) which is not right.. what other county ground sits like that?

Planning and permission from all residents should have taken place long before the gates were closed

A key aspect of both Ravenhill and Windsor is that they were upgraded roughly within an existing footprint and of a size which didn't give cause for concern. The Casement proposals were for a capacity roughly equivalent to Ravenhill and Windsor combined.

[Milltown Row2]

https://twitter.com/AontroimGAA/status/1032007139710193666

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZeUCwq2mDFw

Why the f**k was it closed before building of the new stadium could commence?

Asbestos? (I think...?)

Part of the stand couldnt get insurance (electrical issues and structure?) , so it would have needed money spent on it, but the rest of the ground was fine.. So with what seemed at the time that it was in the bag, they closed the ground and obviously saved money on the not having it opened..

But hindsight is a wonderfull thing, with the likes of Ravenhill getting the green light and Windsor sure why wouldnt Casement not get up and running at the time!

A whole generation of kids will never have been to Casement or played on it by the time it re opens (if ever) which is not right.. what other county ground sits like that?

Planning and permission from all residents should have taken place long before the gates were closed

A key aspect of both Ravenhill and Windsor is that they were upgraded roughly within an existing footprint and of a size which didn't give cause for concern. The Casement proposals were for a capacity roughly equivalent to Ravenhill and Windsor combined.

The key thing here is believing that everything was going to go through as easily as the other grounds, though Windsor had structural problems they managed to fix it handy enough. Casement just seemed to hit wall after wall after wall

[sekibanki]

https://twitter.com/AontroimGAA/status/1032007139710193666

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZeUCwq2mDFw

Why the f**k was it closed before building of the new stadium could commence?

Asbestos? (I think...?)

Part of the stand couldnt get insurance (electrical issues and structure?) , so it would have needed money spent on it, but the rest of the ground was fine.. So with what seemed at the time that it was in the bag, they closed the ground and obviously saved money on the not having it opened..

But hindsight is a wonderfull thing, with the likes of Ravenhill getting the green light and Windsor sure why wouldnt Casement not get up and running at the time!

A whole generation of kids will never have been to Casement or played on it by the time it re opens (if ever) which is not right.. what other county ground sits like that?

Planning and permission from all residents should have taken place long before the gates were closed

A key aspect of both Ravenhill and Windsor is that they were upgraded roughly within an existing footprint and of a size which didn't give cause for concern. The Casement proposals were for a capacity roughly equivalent to Ravenhill and Windsor combined.

But the (reduced) capacity and footprint of the plans for the revamped Casement isn't much different from the present one.

Another apt comparison is with Pairc Ui Chaoimh, which is a project similar in scope regards size, difficulties facing the project and utility. Personally I view the contrast between how the two projects have gone as characteristic of the two cities. Cork seem quite eager to get 'er built, regardless of the eventual usage and difficulties for local residents, traffic, parking, etc, to place a glittering monument to Cork hurling right on the entrance to the city and put it up to Dublin. Belfast doesn't care much for competing with other cities, the world ends at Lisburn and the idea of extra road or foot traffic on the Andytown Road or noise seems like an insurmountable inconvenience.

Not to pass judgment on either case, it's not like the Pairc is without its own issues.

[illdecide]

Part of the problem was the existing stadium did not comply with red and green guides, someone was not doing their job properly as this was allowed to happen. When new proposals went thru and a proper investigation and calculation done by modeling it showed up it was not safe as they could not evacuate all patrons within the specified time scales. They simply don't have the required space, then throw in the objections from local residents and basically you're f**ked.
I know recently that they said they had sorted out the technical issues but Im not so sure, as for the locals I'm sure there are a few genuine reasons from genuine people who it will impact and probably a few jumping on the band wagon too.
It will be a decade before we see this grand stadium open not to mention them useless good for nothing Politicians bastids who are ruining the thing too

[Owen Brannigan]

The only people responsible for the mess in the pictures below is the GAA Ulster Council who sanctioned work to dismantle the stadium long before any permission was given to the plan for the new stadium. 

Casement Park could have remained in use in all of those wasted years while awaiting planning permission, tendering for construction and appointment of builder!

Ulster Council should accept its responsibility for creating this wasteland and depriving Antrim of a county ground, yes the stand was useless and facilities were very poor for players and supporters but temporary accommodation could have been provided in all of the wasted years and the great playing surface with more than sufficient terracing and even benching.

Before being destroyed by the Ulster Council through jumping the gun and sheer neglect when the plans for a new stadium went pear shaped through poor work by GAA and Stormont Executive and useless ministers in charge of the project.  How many heads have rolled, precisely zero!

[Owen Brannigan]

This is what it looked like before they decided to dismantle the grounds before it even had been granted planning permission for the proposed stadium:

[Owen Brannigan]

Antrim had a flood lit pitch which was very well maintained, a very good surface and far more terracing capacity than the majority of stadia in Ireland.

[spuds]

Pictures don't lie. Shocking. Total shambles.

Story of ineptitude.

[BennyCake]

What's the story now anyway? Is another planning application currently being looked at or is the whole thing gone to hell?

[Owen Brannigan]

Planning permission for a revised smaller stadium has been applied for but given the scale of the project its planning permission would require ministerial permission and then ministerial approval for the spend.  Neither of these will be available foreseeable future and with the recent court decision, a civil servant cannot give permission. So the Ulster Council project debacle continues. Meanwhile both Windsor Park and Kingspan Stadium are long since finished and in full use.

Antrim could have continued to use the ground from June 2013 when it was closed.  Five years of wasted time and quite a few ahead before the development will begin.

No reason why the ground couldn't be tidied up and the pitch renovated this autumn at minimal cost to give Antrim a few years of use.

[rosnarun]

whisper it but isn't it fairly obvious at this stage Antrim GAA don't really need casement park . if you cn survive 5 years without it would the money net be better spent properly modernizing clones?.
I assume were talking about Ulster GAA money here rather than Antrim's

[Taylor]

It is pretty clear given how shite Antrim are at football and hurling currently a good club set up would be enough in terms of pitch/stand etc.

However surely the GAA as a while are missing a generation of players in Belfast?

[haranguerer]

Thought Ryan Feeney was to sort the whole thing out??