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

[fitzroyalty]

There are grounds sitting aound the province with planning just waiting on the funding That Nelson bastid cost us our development and we'd everything in place

What is the situation now? Other phases not going ahead for forseeable future? It would sicken you the amount being spent on Windsor. And Casement.

[Bingo]

I can't see the long term benefits of the 40k all seater stadium in belfast purely for GAA and I doubt very much in even medium term it will be a multi-sport stadium.

While its not GAA money largely building it, it will be GAA money maintaining it and this won't be cheap. It may be full once a year, possibly used two other times for Ulster Championship games with any meaningful attendence ie more than 15k.

Unless they planning a whole load of concerts (unrealistic bar 1/2 a year), it'll be a great white elephant and shows the GAA have learned nothing for its past mistakes in terms of Stadium. I suspect that once again the ego's within the GAA are coming to the fore and the Ulster boys want their own Croke Park to show off.

[JPGJOHNNYG]

Bingo

I think a 40000 seater stadium in Belfast has potential if marketed well and opened to other sports in the future (doubt that will happen soon but you never know). I agree with you though that the GAA doesnt seem to have thought things out properly. Their other big project is a 60000 seater stadium in Cork (why so big)
The GAA should have maybe one high quality 35000-40000 stadium in each province and should have maybe consulted the IRFU years ago about joint ventures. The remaining stadiums should have smaller capacities but better facilities. Instead the GAA wants to builld 32 white elephants around the country with huge capacities but terrible facilities.
The perfect example of the mismanagement is the dump that is the ''new'' gaelic grounds in Limerick. Why build a modern stadium in the West of Ireland with no roof! Secondly Limerick isnt a big place so why didnt the IRFU and GAA agree to build one 35000 high quality stadium that would have been used regularly and been easily maintained (Thomond park is good but to me feels unfinished).
l

[Bingo]

I'd totally agree with that. Belfast could do with a multi-sport stadium but there is probably too much politics (within and outside the GAA) that would prevent this happening.

The US model for stadia seems ideal, where its often 3rd parties who build and own the stadia with a view to securing tenants on a rolling basis. In a country this size it probably won't work but definately joint venture stadium would be ideal for championship matches.

The GAA has loads of grounds round the place but none that can be considered stadium with suitable match day facilities - its a case of get in to game and get out. (Cue the we want to go and watch a game, not be entertained/pampered).

[fitzroyalty]

I would have thought a joint GAA/IRFU stadium would have been a good concept especially for Belfast. Would mean more Ireland rugby matches could be held in the north while Casement and Ravenhill could remain in place for smaller games and possibly undergo some upgrades to bring them up to scratch. I agree with what Bingo says and even from a non-GAA point of view it is a huge waste of money. I hope it gets shelved.

[Applesisapples]

I would have thought a joint GAA/IRFU stadium would have been a good concept especially for Belfast. Would mean more Ireland rugby matches could be held in the north while Casement and Ravenhill could remain in place for smaller games and possibly undergo some upgrades to bring them up to scratch. I agree with what Bingo says and even from a non-GAA point of view it is a huge waste of money. I hope it gets shelved.

I would agree with you on an IRFU/GAA venture. I suspect that all Ulster Finals will now go to Casement and probably some AI qualifiers as well. One thing you could not do is let the England in Disguise supporters any where near it, given their appalling behaviour in the Aviva.

[Eamonnca1]

The US model for stadia seems ideal, where its often 3rd parties who build and own the stadia with a view to securing tenants on a rolling basis.

That could be controversial. The way it actually works in the US is the local authorities (i.e. local taxpayers) subsidise the building of stadiums which are owned by professional clubs or subsidiaries of them. Professional sports clubs (or 'franchises' as they're known) have been known to play different cities off against each other in search of a better deal. The San Francisco 49ers are actually looking at moving out of San Francisco at the minute and building a new stadium in Santa Clara near where I work.

[illdecide]

I just heard during the week some news regarding the funding and i don't think too much about Danny Murphy now. From the £63 million given from Sport NI Danny Murphy has decided to use all of it for Casement, i know this is something you all knew but what i just found out was there was only 3 other GAA clubs/grounds looking funding under the Stadia Safety and £3 million would have well covered the other 3 three grounds which would have left £60 million for Casement and everyone else would have happy.

The IFA had no problem dividing their £60 odd million about. £30 million to Windsor and the rest divided out to the rest of the soccer clubs in N Ireland. I know the IRFU are keeping all theirs for Ravenhill but they only got about £18 million. If the IFA can share it why can D Murphy not do the same, the 3 GAA grounds get brought up to 2nd county ground status and still leaves Casement with £60 million, and to make matters worse he's looking more money so he can build a hotel at the ground too. Who the f**k would want to stay in a hotel in West Belfast.

Ohh did i mention Casement do not even have fecking planning permission and the other 3 grounds are sitting waiting and ready...

Don't worry Danny you'll leave your legacy with Casement when you retire and you'll be remembered as an Antrim legend

[illdecide]

Ohh forgot to mention...they might change the name to Danny Casement Park

[The Worker]

I just heard during the week some news regarding the funding and i don't think too much about Danny Murphy now. From the £63 million given from Sport NI Danny Murphy has decided to use all of it for Casement, i know this is something you all knew but what i just found out was there was only 3 other GAA clubs/grounds looking funding under the Stadia Safety and £3 million would have well covered the other 3 three grounds which would have left £60 million for Casement and everyone else would have happy.

The IFA had no problem dividing their £60 odd million about. £30 million to Windsor and the rest divided out to the rest of the soccer clubs in N Ireland. I know the IRFU are keeping all theirs for Ravenhill but they only got about £18 million. If the IFA can share it why can D Murphy not do the same, the 3 GAA grounds get brought up to 2nd county ground status and still leaves Casement with £60 million, and to make matters worse he's looking more money so he can build a hotel at the ground too. Who the f**k would want to stay in a hotel in West Belfast.

Ohh did i mention Casement do not even have fecking planning permission and the other 3 grounds are sitting waiting and ready...

Don't worry Danny you'll leave your legacy with Casement when you retire and you'll be remembered as an Antrim legend

murphy is a down man

[illdecide]

I just heard during the week some news regarding the funding and i don't think too much about Danny Murphy now. From the £63 million given from Sport NI Danny Murphy has decided to use all of it for Casement, i know this is something you all knew but what i just found out was there was only 3 other GAA clubs/grounds looking funding under the Stadia Safety and £3 million would have well covered the other 3 three grounds which would have left £60 million for Casement and everyone else would have happy.

The IFA had no problem dividing their £60 odd million about. £30 million to Windsor and the rest divided out to the rest of the soccer clubs in N Ireland. I know the IRFU are keeping all theirs for Ravenhill but they only got about £18 million. If the IFA can share it why can D Murphy not do the same, the 3 GAA grounds get brought up to 2nd county ground status and still leaves Casement with £60 million, and to make matters worse he's looking more money so he can build a hotel at the ground too. Who the f**k would want to stay in a hotel in West Belfast.

Ohh did i mention Casement do not even have fecking planning permission and the other 3 grounds are sitting waiting and ready...

Don't worry Danny you'll leave your legacy with Casement when you retire and you'll be remembered as an Antrim legend

murphy is a down man

He may well be as i wasn't aware where he's from but he's going to make sure he goes out with a bang and his legacy will live on with Casement Park

[Eamonnca1]

I just heard during the week some news regarding the funding and i don't think too much about Danny Murphy now. From the £63 million given from Sport NI Danny Murphy has decided to use all of it for Casement, i know this is something you all knew but what i just found out was there was only 3 other GAA clubs/grounds looking funding under the Stadia Safety and £3 million would have well covered the other 3 three grounds which would have left £60 million for Casement and everyone else would have happy.

The IFA had no problem dividing their £60 odd million about. £30 million to Windsor and the rest divided out to the rest of the soccer clubs in N Ireland. I know the IRFU are keeping all theirs for Ravenhill but they only got about £18 million. If the IFA can share it why can D Murphy not do the same, the 3 GAA grounds get brought up to 2nd county ground status and still leaves Casement with £60 million, and to make matters worse he's looking more money so he can build a hotel at the ground too. Who the f**k would want to stay in a hotel in West Belfast.

Ohh did i mention Casement do not even have fecking planning permission and the other 3 grounds are sitting waiting and ready...

Don't worry Danny you'll leave your legacy with Casement when you retire and you'll be remembered as an Antrim legend

I know Danny McKenna. I'm pretty sure the Ulster Council works like any other GAA committee I've ever served on and a vote was taken. One person can't make that kind of decision in the GAA, that's not how the association works.

[winsamsoon]

well i am no genius when it comes to figures but surely it would make more sense to use the 63 million to fully develope 4 grounds instead of one. Having four grounds in different parts of Ulster would surely be a better venture for the social structures of them areas. The problem with these decisions is that the ordinary GAA man/woman doesn't know the debates that go on during such meetings. Maybe there are channels were you can gain access to minutes etc?? I would like to know why my own club cannot receive the Million it needs to finish the ground, at the minute we are left with a brand new pitch and 3g facility with no stand. It's a disgrace but typical of the management structures within the GAA. We still haven't seen the money generated from the rugby internationals that was to be filtered down through the clubs. talk of centres of excellence have all seemed to be blowing white smoke up our asses

[rosnarun]

the lesson to be learned from dublin is don't let the egg chasers any where near the field you might as well let a herd of donkey  graze the pitch between matches looking at Lansdown road the few Fai matches  it looks like a cabbage patch

[Applesisapples]

I just heard during the week some news regarding the funding and i don't think too much about Danny Murphy now. From the £63 million given from Sport NI Danny Murphy has decided to use all of it for Casement, i know this is something you all knew but what i just found out was there was only 3 other GAA clubs/grounds looking funding under the Stadia Safety and £3 million would have well covered the other 3 three grounds which would have left £60 million for Casement and everyone else would have happy.

The IFA had no problem dividing their £60 odd million about. £30 million to Windsor and the rest divided out to the rest of the soccer clubs in N Ireland. I know the IRFU are keeping all theirs for Ravenhill but they only got about £18 million. If the IFA can share it why can D Murphy not do the same, the 3 GAA grounds get brought up to 2nd county ground status and still leaves Casement with £60 million, and to make matters worse he's looking more money so he can build a hotel at the ground too. Who the f**k would want to stay in a hotel in West Belfast.

Ohh did i mention Casement do not even have fecking planning permission and the other 3 grounds are sitting waiting and ready...

Don't worry Danny you'll leave your legacy with Casement when you retire and you'll be remembered as an Antrim legend

I know Danny McKenna. I'm pretty sure the Ulster Council works like any other GAA committee I've ever served on and a vote was taken. One person can't make that kind of decision in the GAA, that's not how the association works.

Do you know Danny Murphy though?