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

[imtommygunn]

Yeah they are completely independent things.

[marty34]

Was Dunsilly planned before the Casement mess or because of it?

Not comparable projects IMO.

One is Antrims own training facility and would have been needed either way, the other is the Ulster Councils statement build in Belfast

I know they're different and it's Antrim's own.

Just wondering did the fiasco of Casement hasten the Dunsilly project?

[Saffrongael]

Dunsilly was a total mess

[illdecide]

I'm not sure how accurate the £150 million figure is but a rise from £110m to £150m over the last 3 years probably does sound plausible.
I always thought it was going to be a hard sell for Sinn Féin to get the extra £33 million but at £150 million.....Christ!

Receiving £62.5 million in government funding and going back and asking for an extra £72.5 million..... you'd expect to get laughed out of the place.

I'd say if anything it's underestimating the increases in the last 3 years. There could be issues getting that going at the minute, with additional funding needed, but the northern market is always more competitive then the southern one.

My house built 2 years ago is now being built(exact same house) at 21% the price, the developer is saying most of this is down to materials. Casement has been an unforgivable shambles

Courtesy of the Ulster Council.

The bastards want to hang their heads in shame the way they have mismanaged this project.

If anything, there should have been a new stand built on the site of the existing stand and the terraces revamped with the Owenvarragh terrace covered.

A 34,000 capacity stadium in West Belfast is a stupid notion FFS.

What was the capacity of the old Casement Park?

[illdecide]

My point being and i know WIKI is not always accurate but the following quote

"Casement Park (Irish: Páirc Mhic Asmaint) is the principal Gaelic games stadium in Belfast, Northern Ireland, and serves as the home ground of the Antrim football and hurling teams. It is located in Andersonstown Road in the west of the city, and named after the republican revolutionary Sir Roger Casement (1864-1916). As of 2015 it had an official capacity of 32,282, with safety certification for 31,661, including 6,962 seated.[1] As of 2021, the stadium was closed and in a state of dereliction, with redevelopment plans pending for several years.[2] In July 2021, formal planning permission for the redevelopment of Casement Park was confirmed.[3]"

Is stating the capacity is more like for like except you can sit in stead of standing...?

[Milltown Row2]

My point being and i know WIKI is not always accurate but the following quote

"Casement Park (Irish: Páirc Mhic Asmaint) is the principal Gaelic games stadium in Belfast, Northern Ireland, and serves as the home ground of the Antrim football and hurling teams. It is located in Andersonstown Road in the west of the city, and named after the republican revolutionary Sir Roger Casement (1864-1916). As of 2015 it had an official capacity of 32,282, with safety certification for 31,661, including 6,962 seated.[1] As of 2021, the stadium was closed and in a state of dereliction, with redevelopment plans pending for several years.[2] In July 2021, formal planning permission for the redevelopment of Casement Park was confirmed.[3]"

Is stating the capacity is more like for like except you can sit in stead of standing...?

I can remember a McKenna cup final with Armagh and Tyrone and it was nearly at full capacity, not sure of the figures that winters day but well over 25,000 at it

[tbrick18]

Might never be built, looking at the revised costs for it, from a revised £77million to £110million to a eye watering 150million now, who's gona pass that off when the standard of living at a all time high, and money required in so many services.

It wont be built unfortunately. The economic case no longer stacks up

On a different note completely was in the Athletic Grounds on Sunday. What a brilliant venue that is. Close tight knit stadium, perfect for atmosphere and noise. Its miles better than Healy Park, Celtic park and the rest of the grounds in the six counties
Antrim need an athletic grounds type stadia. 18K to 20K

Agree, Healy Park especially is soulless.
It's a pity O'Neill Park in Dungannon was never revamped to be able to hold inter county games in the modern era as I can remember it being a fortress for Tyrone at one stage.

I agree on the Athletic grounds. Brilliant place to watch a game, great atmosphere and not too bad to get to/from either.
As for O'Neill Park in Dungannon, redevelopment has started. Pitch has been dug up and the club house due to be knocked down soon I believe.

https://www.thomasclarkegfc.com/our-vision

[armaghniac]

My point being and i know WIKI is not always accurate but the following quote

"Casement Park (Irish: Páirc Mhic Asmaint) is the principal Gaelic games stadium in Belfast, Northern Ireland, and serves as the home ground of the Antrim football and hurling teams. It is located in Andersonstown Road in the west of the city, and named after the republican revolutionary Sir Roger Casement (1864-1916). As of 2015 it had an official capacity of 32,282, with safety certification for 31,661, including 6,962 seated.[1] As of 2021, the stadium was closed and in a state of dereliction, with redevelopment plans pending for several years.[2] In July 2021, formal planning permission for the redevelopment of Casement Park was confirmed.[3]"

Is stating the capacity is more like for like except you can sit in stead of standing...?

I can remember a McKenna cup final with Armagh and Tyrone and it was nearly at full capacity, not sure of the figures that winters day but well over 25,000 at it

No, there were only about 18000 at that one, which is still a record for the McKenna cup. Armagh v Derry in the chmpionship had 27,000, which suggests there might be a walk up aduience in Belfast. 

[RadioGAAGAA]

Courtesy of the Ulster Council.

The bastards want to hang their heads in shame the way they have mismanaged this project.

If anything, there should have been a new stand built on the site of the existing stand and the terraces revamped with the Owenvarragh terrace covered.

A 34,000 capacity stadium in West Belfast is a stupid notion FFS.

100% agree.

New (seated) stand.
Roof over the side line terrace.
Leave the 2 ends as uncovered terrace.

Does everything we need it to for watching hurling or football, and you could probably get it done for £50m (realistic costing based on this)

The UC can go f**k themselves when it comes to chasing the £ for concerts.

The govt should straight out refuse to fund the difference since the UC have made such a complete and utter balls of it.

If the original budget was £70m, of which the GAA were paying £15m and its now likely to be £150m all up, so the GAA are on the hook for a total of £95m - that's a lot of f**king concerts.



Back of beer mat calcs:
Each concert has 30,000 attendees
Say the GAA get a tenner a head (probably quite optimistic - Wembly is supposedly around 500k to rent for a concert and its far bigger and in London)

If you've a max of 3 concerts a year - that is 105 years to pay up the £95m (89 years to pay off the additional over the original budget of £15m).


Furthermore, their own development plan indicates attendance > 20k is expected only once per year - and thats if they move the Ulster final away from Clones.

So, the final has an average gate price of.... £30? Add that to the 3 concerts and thats still 50 and 42 years respectively.


The Ulster Council need a good f**king kicking for their continued, ongoing gross stupidity.

[Milltown Row2]

My point being and i know WIKI is not always accurate but the following quote

"Casement Park (Irish: Páirc Mhic Asmaint) is the principal Gaelic games stadium in Belfast, Northern Ireland, and serves as the home ground of the Antrim football and hurling teams. It is located in Andersonstown Road in the west of the city, and named after the republican revolutionary Sir Roger Casement (1864-1916). As of 2015 it had an official capacity of 32,282, with safety certification for 31,661, including 6,962 seated.[1] As of 2021, the stadium was closed and in a state of dereliction, with redevelopment plans pending for several years.[2] In July 2021, formal planning permission for the redevelopment of Casement Park was confirmed.[3]"

Is stating the capacity is more like for like except you can sit in stead of standing...?

I can remember a McKenna cup final with Armagh and Tyrone and it was nearly at full capacity, not sure of the figures that winters day but well over 25,000 at it

No, there were only about 18000 at that one, which is still a record for the McKenna cup. Armagh v Derry in the chmpionship had 27,000, which suggests there might be a walk up aduience in Belfast.

Right..was never good with numbers but was pretty bunged and certainly the official numbers in those days was slightly different to real  

[Wildweasel74]

Am all for a good stadium but anybody in their right mind in a position with budgets or funding will never sign this off. I wouldn't sign it and I want a good stadium here. I don't think it ever be built. The maze you could built added in the extra roads and still come out of it £50million better that the current f**k up. All that unionist paranoid on one hand with the maze and the obstruction of local residents delaying casement Park on a issue they never win, plus ulster council not looking at a 25-30k stadium. With efficiency this good they should seek a Job with the NHS.

[Wildweasel74]

 30yrs ago, 1992,(showing my age) I remember been at casement Park, Derry v Down semi, with 35k at it, was down right dangerous that day, never so glad to be over in the uncovered seated area.

[johnnycool]

30yrs ago, 1992,(showing my age) I remember been at casement Park, Derry v Down semi, with 35k at it, was down right dangerous that day, never so glad to be over in the uncovered seated area.

Was on the grass bank behind the far goals away from the Andytown road that day and as you say was dangerous enough.

Luckily it was baking hot so the grass banks were dry and not ski slopes.

[marty34]

30yrs ago, 1992,(showing my age) I remember been at casement Park, Derry v Down semi, with 35k at it, was down right dangerous that day, never so glad to be over in the uncovered seated area.

Was on the grass bank behind the far goals away from the Andytown road that day and as you say was dangerous enough.

Luckily it was baking hot so the grass banks were dry and not ski slopes.

Good to get the Health & Safety regulations in place nowadays.

Clones hill was a dangerouse spot also.

[Saffrongael]

30yrs ago, 1992,(showing my age) I remember been at casement Park, Derry v Down semi, with 35k at it, was down right dangerous that day, never so glad to be over in the uncovered seated area.

Was on the grass bank behind the far goals away from the Andytown road that day and as you say was dangerous enough.

Luckily it was baking hot so the grass banks were dry and not ski slopes.

Hopefully Corrigan is dry on Saturday on the grass side