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

armaghniac · February 17, 2012, 04:13:59 PM

QuoteI don't recall Windsor Park or Ravenhill getting the same questions.

The difference is that Windsor Park or Ravenhill will be incorporating an inability to be used for GAA in their physical design.

I think though that some consideration of a broader use for this stadium might be considered. It will be large and not much used.

Maguire01 · February 17, 2012, 04:19:51 PM

There's serious danger of it becoming a white elephant. The capacity is probably about 5-10,000 too high for football in Ulster. It's also difficult to see what concerts they could attract that would fill the place, and that's before considering that some promoters might be apprehensive about booking it at all, given its location.

Applesisapples · February 17, 2012, 05:45:19 PM

I disagree, properly priced tickets for the Ulster Final and double headers will attract 40,000. Also AI Qtr Finals could be held here.

Feckitt · February 17, 2012, 05:50:10 PM

All Ireland Quarter Finals
Ulster Finals
International Rules Matches
Big Championship Matches

All would attract 40,000 to a modern, family friendly all seater stadium. Build it and they will come.

haranguerer · February 17, 2012, 05:52:20 PM

Quote from: Maguire01 on February 17, 2012, 04:19:51 PM
There's serious danger of it becoming a white elephant. The capacity is probably about 5-10,000 too high for football in Ulster. It's also difficult to see what concerts they could attract that would fill the place, and that's before considering that some promoters might be apprehensive about booking it at all, given its location.

Lets be honest, we dont need half the stadiums we do have. The majority of them are only full once every few years when theres an attractive home first round draw

armaghniac · February 17, 2012, 06:28:50 PM

QuoteAll Ireland Quarter Finals

Belfast is not well situated for such games. Fine if it is some combination of Down/Derry/Tyrone/Armagh nut not much use if a team from another province is involved.

QuoteUlster Finals

This would be the main application. Was the Ulster final full this year?

QuoteInternational Rules Matches

Once every 3 years or even less frequently?

QuoteBig Championship Matches

There aren't so many of those. Armagh v Down last year was nowhere near full, and Armagh v Tyrone didn't need tickets either. Of course if the Armagh and Tyrone rivalry had been in its prime then perhaps there would be more, but this was an typical period.

What was the biggest crowd in the last 20 years at an Antrim game?

The Worker · February 17, 2012, 07:10:32 PM

Would be great to see a revived railway cup game at this stadium when completed.

Anyone hear the rumour that the ulster gaa are thinking of selling the naming rights of the stadium for a fixed income stream?

Sportacus · February 17, 2012, 08:56:58 PM

A very modern 25k stadium would be great. 40k too big unless it had been a shared stadium. Will lack atmosphere unless at least 3/4 full. Antrim national league games will look silly in this size of stadium. And truthfully I can't see anything more than 1 or 2 big ulster games per year. Sure at the moment the big games aren't hitting 20k. I hope it works out but my fear is it will become a financial millstone.

Feckitt · February 17, 2012, 09:10:33 PM

It won't be a financial millstone, the bloody thing is already paid for

trileacman · February 17, 2012, 10:06:17 PM

Not our finest stand.

Compared to what the egg chasers put up down the road:

Half the size but twice the stadium. Thomond is a stadia nearly always full and this enhances the atmosphere and image when recorded on tv. Just because the GAA build a stadium that 50,000 people can go to, doesn't mean 50,000 people will.

Build it and they will come is bullshit. If it were the Gaelic Grounds would not currently be the white elephant it is.

Minder · February 17, 2012, 10:11:31 PM

Quote from: Feckitt on February 17, 2012, 09:10:33 PM
It won't be a financial millstone, the bloody thing is already paid for

Will it be free upkeep all year too?

Maguire01 · February 17, 2012, 10:18:22 PM

Quote from: Minder on February 17, 2012, 10:11:31 PM
Quote from: Feckitt on February 17, 2012, 09:10:33 PM
It won't be a financial millstone, the bloody thing is already paid for

Will it be free upkeep all year too?

Precisely. The GAA is great at throwing money at things to build them. Then they sit there and rot. Croke Park is the exception.

Sportacus · February 17, 2012, 10:23:51 PM

Feckitt, I'm nearly sure Aoghan Farrell said on radio ulster this morning that plenty (if not all) of the money still had to be raised - like tens of millions. and running costs won't be sneezed at either.

The Worker · February 17, 2012, 10:27:17 PM

Would be great if they put a roof on the stadium. Would be a real jewel in the gaa crown.

Maguire01 · February 17, 2012, 10:29:40 PM

Quote from: Feckitt on February 17, 2012, 05:50:10 PM
All Ireland Quarter Finals
Ulster Finals
International Rules Matches
Big Championship Matches

All would attract 40,000 to a modern, family friendly all seater stadium. Build it and they will come.

All very optimistic. Bar the Ulster Finals that were in Croke Park, there has never been a problem getting tickets. For plenty of years, Clones was a few thousand under capacity - around 30-33,000. Last year was well under capacity, was it not?

All Ireland Quarter Finals depend on the teams playing, as has already been said.

International Rules hits Ireland once every 3 years(?) One match is in Croker and the other tends to tour the country. So if Ulster/Casement got a game every third tour, that's roughly one game in ten years.

You've mentioned Ulster Finals and Quarter Finals already. What other big Championship games are there?

I don't believe that this level of use would support an investment this size in the real world.