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

[Jinxy]

Id imagine a much better job opportunity.  Moved on to a new challenge about 3 years ago like many people do in life. In any organisation strategy comes from the top..!i don't care who delivers it but this needs to happen. and the top of Ulster gaa needs to sit down with the top of Antrim Gaa and come up with something to help Antrim county teams have a ground for the next 3 years. A few hundred k would tidy it up. Probably still be a better ground than Navan. I would have no doubt that Everyone wants that to be resolved. Resolve it now.

I wouldn't expect a Tyrone man to appreciate the character of PT.

We love going there and tayto park as well. There's a lot more to Meath than football in my eyes..

You can't beat a bit of culture.

[Clinker]

[spuds]

"Antrim chairman losing patience" only the 5 years later 😂.

[johnnycool]

Don't personalise it. Remember there was many people who wanted the stadium built and there were many people who didn't want the stadium built. The people who didn't want the stadium built have won... simple as.

Who were they, the health and safety expert whose report was being ignored?

Surely as we are talking about it this week and not 4 years ago, It is more important to get Antrim playing on it next Spring. Will stormont  be back pre brexit - highly unlikely. Can something be done in the meantime, some are saying yes. Let's do what we can do with all currently involved sides and stop chasing the past.

Who didn't want the stadium built and who are now saying something can be done in the meantime without an executive?

[rrhf]

I did have my own strongly held views on that at the time, and they are on this thread but it's irrelevant now Johnny. I was fully behind the bigger stadium project but ironically I believe the much bigger picture now is the demise of Antrim since. These guys need a county pitch. I would hope the stadium would happen but probably unlikely in the short term. Hadn't bought the paper today but it's on the same lines - I'll leave it to those in charge to debate out.

[Owen Brannigan]

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

He's at QUB now. Seems to be a PR puff merchant.

Managed an invite to meet the Pope in Pro Cathedral.

https://www.irishnews.com/news/popevisit/2018/08/25/news/belfast-couple-asked-pope-to-pray-for-peace-in-the-north--1416041/

[BennyCake]

If Casement was built with 30,000 would Antrim play there in the leagues? They're hardly getting massive crowds. It would look a pitiful sight with maybe 500 fans in a big stadium at a Div 4 match.

Belfast is not even centrally based for Antrim fans. I think the GAA should forget about it and enlarge Armagh or Omagh or somewhere more central for Ulster. Or even a new stadium around Dungannon

[BennyCake]

If Casement was built with 30,000 would Antrim play there in the leagues? They're hardly getting massive crowds. It would look a pitiful sight with maybe 500 fans in a big stadium at a Div 4 match.

Belfast is not even centrally based for Antrim fans. I think the GAA should forget about it and enlarge Armagh or Omagh or somewhere more central for Ulster.

This is not being built for Antrim and I really have my doubts about what access we would have to it for league games etc. As I say, our needs are the least of Ulster GAA's concern.

So if Antrim don't use if for league games, how often would it be used? How would it pay for itself?

I suppose ulster semis or finals would be it's biggest days. But say Donegal v Cavan in an ulster semi. Why would you take those two sets of fans all the way to Belfast? It's madness.

[BennyCake]

If Casement was built with 30,000 would Antrim play there in the leagues? They're hardly getting massive crowds. It would look a pitiful sight with maybe 500 fans in a big stadium at a Div 4 match.

Belfast is not even centrally based for Antrim fans. I think the GAA should forget about it and enlarge Armagh or Omagh or somewhere more central for Ulster.

This is not being built for Antrim and I really have my doubts about what access we would have to it for league games etc. As I say, our needs are the least of Ulster GAA's concern.

So if Antrim don't use if for league games, how often would it be used? How would it pay for itself?

Antrim league games are hardly going to pay for it.
It is a concert arena.

Yeah but primarily it will be a GAA stadium. It looks like it's being built to facilitate corporate events rather than GAA matches.

[Clinker]

Were there not figures mentioned that it would bring 15 million into the area with 13.5 million going back to Headquarters of which Antrim will get their 1/34(minus costs) fair share(all playing counties included) and 1.5 million per year for chip shops and local bars?

[illdecide]

It doesn't matter how many fans turn up for an Antrim game, it's their ground and they're entitled to play there. Ulster GAA said the ground will fund itself through conferences, meetings and festivals/concerts. For me it can host anything it likes but it will always be Antrim's home of GAA and it needs sorting out ASAP, for me if there is no sign of the development in the next year then Croke Park should step in and clear the site and lay a new pitch for Antrim GAA.
It's not good enough and it wouldn't have been allowed to happen if it were Kerry, Tyrone, Meath etc

[haranguerer]

Most gaa grounds have far too high a capacity, including croker. Any stadium is devoid of atmosphere unless its full or close to it, and it has a negative impact on the games and experience.

There is no need for a 38k capacity venue - as stated, with that capacity, its primary use will be (and is intended to be) a concert venue generating income for the gaa.

Develop a top class ground, with facilities to nurture the game and importantly in a divided city, the promotion of it (we may scoff at corporate entertainment, but the rugger gleans a big following from coporate events on friday night, all of which promote the game to an audience who otherwise wouldnt be involved - this is much more important for gaa than it is for rugby) but 20k capacity is plenty, forget about turning it into another white elephant.

[Mourne Red]

Most gaa grounds have far too high a capacity, including croker. Any stadium is devoid of atmosphere unless its full or close to it, and it has a negative impact on the games and experience.

There is no need for a 38k capacity venue - as stated, with that capacity, its primary use will be (and is intended to be) a concert venue generating income for the gaa.

Develop a top class ground, with facilities to nurture the game and importantly in a divided city, the promotion of it (we may scoff at corporate entertainment, but the rugger gleans a big following from coporate events on friday night, all of which promote the game to an audience who otherwise wouldnt be involved - this is much more important for gaa than it is for rugby) but 20k capacity is plenty, forget about turning it into another white elephant.

It was being developed as a provincial stadium thats why they had so large a capacity, wasn't Antrim saying they'll fill it out every week but Ulster GAA to host Ulster Finals

[five points]

Nothing sums up the Casement redevelopment delusion as this image of an Ulster Hurling Final attracting 38,000 spectators.

[Jinxy]

Love the way one of the Antrim defenders is all set to clatter the goalpost for some reason.