Casement upgrade proposed by GAA

[armaghniac]

Build a big car park at Long Kesh and run trains/buses to Casement. Keep everyone happy.

[stiffler]

Do any of the top stadiums in ulster currently have good access and/or car parking facilities?

[Maguire01]

Do any of the top stadiums in ulster currently have good access and/or car parking facilities?

I doubt any of the top stadiums in Ireland have, never mind Ulster.

Interesting take on it all from Sean McGettigan in today's paper. He says that "Casement will struggle to ever take over from Clones as Ulster's cultural epicentre". He seemed to indicate that only Down and Derry (and presumably Antrim) would be in favour of Casement and that the other counties would continue to opt for games in Clones.
Funny too that he seems to point to the idea of a quick post-match getaway as a negative - says that Casement basically has no environment or social aspect and that the hanging around in Clones is all part of the occasion. I suppose it's all down to what people go for.

[thebandit]

I really dont like Casement, bad atmosphere, hostile locals, no parking.....

I like going to the different grounds - Newry, Omagh and Enniskillen are alwas a good day out. Celtic Park is even worse than Casement.

[WeeDonns]

I wouldn't mind it too much provided they found some way of sorting out parking and transport, but that seems near impossible

The plans in the Irish News don't show the car parks, but the ones in Gaelic life show a carpark on the other side of the motorway with a bridge linking over to Casement.

I think the spot on the other side of the motorway has some existing GAA pitches on it? is this council land or a GAA club?

Have to say that the 'day out' in Clones is a much better experience, but maybe if this goes ahead they'll put more effort into making Casement more enjoyable, more bars, entertainment on the street, l hector leading a mexican wave etc

[rrhf]

100 million is crazy.  Put 3 milliion into each county board for elite county facitilities ie Garvaghy = 27 million  to give third pitch  grants and floodlighting  of 150 000 each to 300 clubs accross Ulster = 45 million. leaves 28 million cash to develop a decend belfast stadium along with a decent business plan that pays off.
The GAAs idea of promotion at the moment is from the top down not the bottom up.  Which will have more effect - improved additional community facilities based on need or Casement 100 mill white elephant based on vanity. 

[AFS]

100 million is crazy.  Put 3 million into each county board for elite county facilities ie Garvaghy = 27 million  to give third pitch  grants and floodlighting  of 150 000 each to 300 clubs across Ulster = 45 million. leaves 28 million cash to develop a decend belfast stadium along with a decent business plan that pays off.
The GAAs idea of promotion at the moment is from the top down not the bottom up.  Which will have more effect - improved additional community facilities based on need or Casement 100 mill white elephant based on vanity. 

Yep. So many better ways to use £100 million. Too many of the top lads in the Ulster Council want their own wee Bertie Bowl I fear, maybe one or two will get a stand named after them or something 

[Stall the Bailer]

  to give third pitch  grants and floodlighting  of 150 000 each to 300 clubs accross Ulster = 45 million.

There is still plenty of clubs with only one pitch and even it may not be of the highest standard.

[armaghniac]

I think there is a bit of oneupmanship here, get the biggest stadium in Belfast, regardless of whether anyone will use it or not. I still favour making Casement a high class venue with a smaller largely seated capacity, modestly extending Clones to a 40,000 capacity and being willing to use Croke Pk the odd time.  

[rrhf]

Listen if theres 1oo mill to spend I want some of it at my club which serves 300 kids every week and not 60 adults 10 times a year. How much money could the GAA be reinvesting in Land pitches and facilities now prices are dropping.   

[ziggysego]

The 100 mill isn't the Ulster GAA's money. It's our rightful share of the spoils from the failed Maze/Long Kesh. We'll only get the money to redevelop a stadium or build a new one. This talk of feeding the money down to County grounds and Club grounds is a non running. So if we can get 100 mill off the Stormont to redevelop Casement Park, I say grab the money with both hands and show the IFA we didn't need them!

[Maguire01]

I think there is a bit of oneupmanship here, get the biggest stadium in Belfast, regardless of whether anyone will use it or not. I still favour making Casement a high class venue with a smaller largely seated capacity, modestly extending Clones to a 40,000 capacity and being willing to use Croke Pk the odd time.  

Agreed - there's definitely an element of 'ego' in building a stadium this size at Casement. The irony is that an empty Casement Park on the TV in a couple of years could make the GAA look as stupid as Irish League soccer does at the minute. Better to have a smaller stadium filled to capacity that a massive stadium with tumbleweed blowing around the place.

Also, are Antrim going to move out of Casement? Antrim footballers attracted 2,000 people to all 4 home league matches this year - just 250 to the game v Clare. Could you justify opening a new modern stadium for the night for a crowd of that size?

[Maguire01]

Listen if theres 1oo mill to spend I want some of it at my club which serves 300 kids every week and not 60 adults 10 times a year. How much money could the GAA be reinvesting in Land pitches and facilities now prices are dropping.   

A slightly disingenuous comparison - the new stadium would be to serve spectator demands as much, if not more, than players.

[Maguire01]

The 100 mill isn't the Ulster GAA's money. It's our rightful share of the spoils from the failed Maze/Long Kesh. We'll only get the money to redevelop a stadium or build a new one. This talk of feeding the money down to County grounds and Club grounds is a non running. So if we can get 100 mill off the Stormont to redevelop Casement Park, I say grab the money with both hands and show the IFA we didn't need them!

Is it limited to one stadium though? Or could it be allocated to a capital development programme (for a number of county grounds) rather than one project?

Soccer and Rugby are in a different boat in that they'd both be building a stadium essentially for only one team.

[ziggysego]

My reckoning one Stadium Maguire. Anyway there's no chance Campbell would give money to Clones.