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

[NAG1]

Duff is yer typical stereotype Dublin sour faced soccer whinger.
I heard he's disgusted that his kids play gaelic games🙃

Plus isnt the LOI supposed to be a professional entity?

[twohands!!!]

Looks like the Times broke the story originally last night.

It very much looks like it was some "UEFA sources" talking to the Times as opposed to a statement by Starmer or one of his reps briefing the media, so I wouldn't be getting too excited just yet.

Benn has been in place since the 5th of July so that's nearly a month at this stage. Has anyone actually asked him for a time-line on when this will gets resolved/what is actually holding up a decision as the whole "working as quickly as possible to assess the options" has a fierce whiff of civil service wording.

I'm still of the opinion that Labour are going to delay and prevaricate and let time go by until they say "oops it would cost too much and we don't have enough time to be sure it will be completed in time - Here's an extra £50 million on top of the what was already promised; we won't be covering any budget-overruns so make sure to get a plan for a stadium you can afford. "

Starmer backs controversial £300m Casement Park plan for Euros

The Gaelic games stadium in Belfast has been closed for a decade and needs a major overhaul if it is to host matches in the 2028 European Championship
Martyn Ziegler, Chief Sports Reporter
Tuesday July 30 2024, 7.35pm BST, The Times

Sir Keir Starmer has told Uefa he will push for a controversial £310 million bailout of Casement Park to allow Northern Ireland to host matches in football's 2028 European Championship.

Uefa sources said Starmer had told senior figures in European football's governing body that the Labour government was keen to drive through the redevelopment of the derelict site.

However, it would be in the face of considerable opposition both in Northern Ireland and the cabinet. The Times reported last month that Sue Gray, the prime minister's chief of staff, had angered government officials and ministers by "personally dominating" negotiations over a bailout for the dilapidated Gaelic games venue. That has caused resentment among Labour ministers who have been told there is no money for new spending commitments.

Although Uefa has the final say over venues for the tournament, it is not expected to intervene. Other Euro 2028 matches will take place in England, including the final and semi-finals, Scotland, Wales and the Republic of Ireland.

The cost of the bailout has spiralled from £73 million, while critics — including Northern Irish fan groups — say the money should not be spent on a Gaelic games stadium that will host no football matches after staging the four Euro 2028 games.

There is also a sectarian divide, as the stadium is located in a strongly Republican area.

The alternative, of building a new stadium in a less controversial area, appears unlikely given the tight time scale and would raise questions about the future of Windsor Park, the traditional home of football in Northern Ireland, which is too small to host Euros matches.

Hilary Benn, the Northern Ireland secretary, said last week the government was working "as quickly as possible" to assess the options and insisted: "One way or another, the project will be completed."


Unionist MPs challenged him over the project, with the DUP's Sammy Wilson saying it was "indefensible" to pour hundreds of millions of pounds into a stadium when the money should go to the NHS.

https://www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/article/starmer-backs-controversial-300m-casement-park-plan-for-euros-8bsxz3qst

[armaghniac]

After Ulster winning every football competition available, it would a fine end to 2024 if this got the go ahead.

[AustinPowers]

Duff is yer typical stereotype Dublin sour faced soccer whinger.
I heard he's disgusted that his kids play gaelic games🙃

A total dose. Was most likeable as a player but behaves like a spoilt child. I remember him describing the GAA as dinosaurs when soccer wanted Páirc Uí Chaoimh for Liam Millar memorial game. GAA is light years ahead of soccer at all levels in Ireland. A little humility wudnt have gone amiss..  and they got to hold the game there.

I've had absolutely no time for  him since that.  You've no need to look to the  north  for anti-GAA arses when you have the likes  of him

[Duine Inteacht Eile]

Are they trusting the same people to look after the £310 million project as "looked after" the £77 million one or will there be some other body overseeing the whole thing?

[red hander]

Looks like the Times broke the story originally last night.

It very much looks like it was some "UEFA sources" talking to the Times as opposed to a statement by Starmer or one of his reps briefing the media, so I wouldn't be getting too excited just yet.

Benn has been in place since the 5th of July so that's nearly a month at this stage. Has anyone actually asked him for a time-line on when this will gets resolved/what is actually holding up a decision as the whole "working as quickly as possible to assess the options" has a fierce whiff of civil service wording.

I'm still of the opinion that Labour are going to delay and prevaricate and let time go by until they say "oops it would cost too much and we don't have enough time to be sure it will be completed in time - Here's an extra £50 million on top of the what was already promised; we won't be covering any budget-overruns so make sure to get a plan for a stadium you can afford. "

Starmer backs controversial £300m Casement Park plan for Euros

The Gaelic games stadium in Belfast has been closed for a decade and needs a major overhaul if it is to host matches in the 2028 European Championship
Martyn Ziegler, Chief Sports Reporter
Tuesday July 30 2024, 7.35pm BST, The Times

Sir Keir Starmer has told Uefa he will push for a controversial £310 million bailout of Casement Park to allow Northern Ireland to host matches in football's 2028 European Championship.

Uefa sources said Starmer had told senior figures in European football's governing body that the Labour government was keen to drive through the redevelopment of the derelict site.

However, it would be in the face of considerable opposition both in Northern Ireland and the cabinet. The Times reported last month that Sue Gray, the prime minister's chief of staff, had angered government officials and ministers by "personally dominating" negotiations over a bailout for the dilapidated Gaelic games venue. That has caused resentment among Labour ministers who have been told there is no money for new spending commitments.

Although Uefa has the final say over venues for the tournament, it is not expected to intervene. Other Euro 2028 matches will take place in England, including the final and semi-finals, Scotland, Wales and the Republic of Ireland.

The cost of the bailout has spiralled from £73 million, while critics — including Northern Irish fan groups — say the money should not be spent on a Gaelic games stadium that will host no football matches after staging the four Euro 2028 games.

There is also a sectarian divide, as the stadium is located in a strongly Republican area.

The alternative, of building a new stadium in a less controversial area, appears unlikely given the tight time scale and would raise questions about the future of Windsor Park, the traditional home of football in Northern Ireland, which is too small to host Euros matches.

Hilary Benn, the Northern Ireland secretary, said last week the government was working "as quickly as possible" to assess the options and insisted: "One way or another, the project will be completed."


Unionist MPs challenged him over the project, with the DUP's Sammy Wilson saying it was "indefensible" to pour hundreds of millions of pounds into a stadium when the money should go to the NHS.

https://www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/article/starmer-backs-controversial-300m-casement-park-plan-for-euros-8bsxz3qst

A copy and paste job by the Tele from an originally inaccurate report in the Times. Can't remember Sammy being too bothered about the NHS when he was supporting Tory austerity that gutted it, voted against pay rises for health service staff and was promoting the building of the unicorn bridge between Scotland and the north... w**ker.

[Sportacus]

As Leo once said, many's a slip between cup and lip.

[armaghniac]

There is an article going to appear in tomorrow's Sunday Times. I won't bother posting it, given that the author is Kate Hoey you have a good idea of the content.

[Duine Inteacht Eile]

And we must be about 3 weeks down the line now without another dickybird about this.
They keeping us fed on a crumb a month until it is too late?

[square_ball]

UEFA need the stadium up and running by this time 3 years. For reference construction started on Evertons new stadium early in 2022 and won't be ready until the start of the 25/26 season (there was filling in to do on site of the Everton stadium in 2021 prior to the start of construction).

Its not going to happen in time for the Euros.

[AustinPowers]

While it would have been great  to have the Euros come to  Belfast , particularly for the local economy, now  I couldn't  care less  .

It's  becoming more obvious that Casement will  not be built in time , so just get it built for GAA  purposes , whenever that will be.

And ideally I hope Norn Iron qualify  for the tournament, and their fans have to pay  a fortune travelling to London or Cardiff or somewhere , when they  could have had it  on their doorstep., and all it would have cost  them was a bus fare.

[twohands!!!]

"We will try to say more in due course" = we are continuing to kick the can as far down the road for as long as we can and maybe in a few months time we will see what condition the can is in.

2nd visit to the North as Prime Minister and still nothing concrete on Casement.

When asked if he thought Euro 2028 would be played at Casement Park and whether Sue Gray has had any influence Sir Keir dismissed the claims as "complete nonsense".

"I think that is complete nonsense and I hope that is clear enough," he said.

"The decision is a political decision. The key challenges at the moment I think are well known particularly in Norther Ireland, which are the timing in relation to the Euros and the cost.

"They are issues we are looking at very carefully and as I say we will try to say more in due course."

https://www.irishnews.com/news/northern-ireland/prime-minister-sir-keir-starmer-claims-sue-gray-row-over-casement-park-is-nonsense-IEDPHWPYRJANHFEOMSOGW7A4MM/

[Aaron Boone]

You'd have to be an optimist to say it'd be ready for the Euros.
It will soon be a nighttime/weekend schedule to get it ready.
Nothing is impossible but the (government) will isn't there.

Any optimists on the board?

[johnnycool]

UEFA need the stadium up and running by this time 3 years. For reference construction started on Evertons new stadium early in 2022 and won't be ready until the start of the 25/26 season (there was filling in to do on site of the Everton stadium in 2021 prior to the start of construction).

Its not going to happen in time for the Euros.

Bramley Moore would be available in January 2025 but Everton decided to play out the remainder of this season at Goodison rather than change mid season.

[johnnycool]

You'd have to be an optimist to say it'd be ready for the Euros.
It will soon be a nighttime/weekend schedule to get it ready.
Nothing is impossible but the (government) will isn't there.

Any optimists on the board?

At this stage I hope they pump the money into it in an attempt to be ready for the Euro's.

Whether it's ready or not I couldn't give a shít but it will be done to a very high standard.