McHale Park ...The new Stand

[Barna Bee]

What a lump of lard....what's withthe permanent poles in the middle obstructing everyones view?Could they not have spent a few more bob building a cantilevered stand ...looks like something out of the 30's . Who built this heap? and why did they allow this go ahead ? Developers were sh1t buy the look of it

http://www.castlebar.ie/JLoftus/McHale_Park_Stand_Update.shtml

[sammymaguire]

there is a recession on in Mayo!

[muppet]

What a lump of lard....what's withthe permanent poles in the middle obstructing everyones view?Could they not have spent a few more bob building a cantilevered stand ...looks like something out of the 30's . Who built this heap? and why did they allow this go ahead ? Developers were sh1t buy the look of it

http://www.castlebar.ie/JLoftus/McHale_Park_Stand_Update.shtml

Ddddddddddddon't mention the wwwwwar!

[blanketattack]

Please tell me that those photos of the TV stand are of it before it was completed and before the scaffolding was removed?

[RedandGreenSniper]

Please tell me that those photos of the TV stand are of it before it was completed and before the scaffolding was removed?

Its still not finished but that pic is pretty much how it will look. As Muppet says, don't mention the war!

[Barna Bee]

Ok this is too interesting to let go ....what has gone on ?....or alledgedly i suppose what was said to have gone on but can't be proven?

[Hardy]

Jayz it's a bit retro-looking alright. Keenans of Carlow, circa 1955.

[ballinaman]

Blue seats,poles in the stand, military watch tower for McHale road.....well that turned out well!!

[An Fhairche Abu]

http://www.independent.ie/breaking-news/sport/mayo-reveal-mchale-park-costs-1977837.html

Wednesday December 16 2009

The redevelopment scheme at McHale Park in Castlebar will cost the Mayo county board 730,000 euros next year, it has been revealed.

Auditor Michael McHugh said the capital payment to Ulster Bank next year would be 500,000 euros with a total of 230,000 euros due in interest on loans. He added that the county board planned to meet these repayments through fundraising and a development draw.

With the draw yielding 240,000 euros this year, it would leave almost 500,000 euros to be raised through fundraising.

------------------------------

For what the Mayo Co. Board got out of it...

[rootthemout]

is the press stand the old watch tower from cross just with a lick of new paint

[muppet]

is the press stand the old watch tower from cross just with a lick of new paint

That is what some of the locals think.

[prewtna]

mchale park is a joke.

1) they dont need the bloody media tower at all. simple solution like in gaelic grounds in limerick - stick the cameras above in the roof with all associated gantries and walkway access - commentators too and have the rest of the press up along the back wall in ther own area. not as if we would be losing much 'corporate' space for executive boxes or the likes.

2) the poles! in the name of jaysus!!! take a look at hyde park or salthill - admitadely much smaller stands but no poles. why do we need a 10,000 seater stand? we dont! 7500 is plenty and use the money in the balance to build a decent fecking roof.

3) paying for it. the county board have imposed more development draw tickets upon the clubs of mayo. our club cant sell what we get in a standard year never mind the extra, so the club has to fork out instead. that money could be paid to coaches or give young lads gear or anything - maybe drain the fecking training pitch we have.

4) orientation - its facing west!! the prevailing wind rain and evening sun all come from there! its on the wrong side of the bloody pitch. 

if you want an example of what not to do when building a stand see mchale parks new stand. total disaster.

[prewtna]

i needed to get that off my chest - i feel much better now!

[magickingdom]

i read the posts first, expected a horror show then looked at the pictures and said 'its not that bad'. maybe if i had looked at the pictures first.....

orientation - its facing west!! the prevailing wind rain and evening sun all come from there! its on the wrong side of the bloody pitch. 

now thats a major blunder

[Barney]

I posted this on the GAA Finances thread earlier in the week.

It is quite alarming the quality of the development that the County Board have decided to push ahead with which we will be paying for for many years

Recent articles in the Mayo News about the state of finances in Mayo are alarming and given the economic status of the country look like getting worse.

i know the County Board are looking to sell seats in the new stand but cannot see too many being able to make the commitment at this time.

This over-investment could haunt Mayo GAA for years to come:


Quote
County Board count cost of McHale Park


Treasurer's Report
Daniel Carey

MAYO GAA Board will have to raise €730,000 next year for the McHale Park redevelopment, it was revealed at last week's Convention in Westport.
Ballinrobe delegate Alan Flannery asked what the repayments on the McHale Park redevelopment would be next year, and queried what the impact of this would be on club levies. Auditor Michael McHugh said that the capital payment to Ulster Bank next year would be €500,000, and there would be a total of €230,000 due in interest on loans. He added that the County Board planned to meet these repayments through fund-raising and the Development Draw. With the draw accounting for €240,000 in 2009, that leaves almost half a million to be raised through fund-raising.
Secretary Seán Feeney said that a €1 million loan from the bank has to be paid back within two years, which would, he said 'make it tight for us'. He added that the loan was still operating a variable interest rate on advice from Croke Park.

Coaching costs cut
MEANWHILE, Mayo GAA Board may have to reduce the amount of money being put into coaching, Treasurer JP Lambe told Convention. Noting that the County Board had put €32,000 into coaching and development, the Garrymore clubman said: "With the expenses coming up [in relation to the McHale Park redevelopment], I don't know can we continue to put that kind of money into coaching."
Coaching Officer Hugh Rudden said he advocated spending more money on coaching. He noted that the Cúl Camps hade made a €30,000 profit, and said the amount of money spent on coaching by the County Board 'isn't all that high'.
"Some other counties have coaching levies on clubs," the Ballyhaunis clubman added. "I understand that another levy mightn't go down well with the clubs [but] a little support from clubs mightn't go astray, even if we start off with a small levy."
The Treasurer reported a surplus of €466,797 for 2009, up by over €206,000 on the previous year. Income increased by over €208,000 to €1.924,476, while expenditure increased by just under €2,000 to €1,457,679. Lambe said that payments from clubs 'dragged out quite a bit' last year, and warned: "We won't be able to carry that next year".
Gate receipts reduced by almost €12,000 overall in 2009, and Bord na nÓg receipts were down by over €10,000 to €3,725 – "the lowest of all time", according to Lambe. "A lot of games were played in the early morning or late evening, and gates were not even collected at some games. Bord na nÓg will need to look at playing finals on long evenings in the summer," he said.



Quote
Almost €11m spent on McHale Park in year when clubs dug deep


Mike Finnerty

THE amount of money that has been spent on the McHale Park project in 2009, and the contributions that Mayo GAA clubs make to the County Board coffers, were two of the most striking aspects of the Mayo GAA Board accounts that were presented to the County Convention last night (Monday).
Figures presented under 'Fixed Assets' for the McHale Park pitch and stand would suggest that approximately €10.8m had been spent on the development work in Castlebar up to October 31 this year.
In 2008, the McHale Park pitch and stand had a value of €2,663,474 while that figure has now risen to €13,464,727 — an increase of €10,801,253 since the start of the year.
The estimated total cost of the McHale Park development at the beginning of the project was €16.5m. However, it is believed that the final figure may be lower due to the current economic climate.
A Central Council grant of €5m for the McHale Park project is also laid out in the Mayo GAA Board Balance Sheet, as is a Central Council loan for €1.5m.
Under 'Current Liabilities', a bank loan (due within one year) of €500,000 is included, while under 'Net Current (Liabilities) Assets', a bank loan (due over one year) of €4,849,609 is also outlined.
MEANWHILE, Mayo GAA Treasurer, JP Lambe, also revealed that the clubs of the county contributed approximately €744,288 to the County Board funds in 2009.
The 'County Board Draw' brought in €240,000, summer camps were responsible for €128,517, club affiliation fees and insurance added up to €241,801, club levies accounted for €50,000, club contributions (€100 each) raked in €5,968, and clubs' contributions for referees expenses were €78,000.
The Mayo GAA Board also took in €173,085 from 'gates' at club championship games right across the county during the 2009 season.
In summary, at the end of October, the Mayo GAA Board had spent €466,000 less than it had taken in during the previous twelve months.

Where the money goes....


Mike Finnerty

SENIOR FOOTBALL TEAM COSTS 2009
IT cost €373,683 to prepare the Mayo senior football team in 2009, an increase of €22,500 on the previous season.
However, the catering costs of John O'Mahony's squad saw a dramatic decrease in the space of twelve months. Last season's catering bill amounted to €39,150, compared to €64,000 in 2008.
However, travelling expenses for the Mayo senior squad last season came to €268,161, an increase of €50,000 on the previous campaign. The medical costs of the county senior squad were €48,407 this year.

MINOR FOOTBALL TEAM COSTS 2009
REACHING an All-Ireland Minor Final for the second successive season meant that the cost of running the Mayo minor squad in 2009 was quite similar to the previous year.
The final tally of €102,602 was down approximately €9,000 on 2008, with the catering bill (€43,898) accounting for most of the expenditure.

SENIOR HURLING TEAM COSTS 2009
THE cost of Mayo's recent hurling renaissance is plain to be seen in the balance sheet too; it cost €130,901 to send the senior squad into battle last season.
However, this is a decrease of €33,500 on the 2008 figures which totalled €164,442.  The bulk of the running costs of the county hurling team were amassed from travelling expenses which amounted to €89,177.

MASTERS Football COSTS ARE THE LOWEST
THE Mayo over 40s team remains the most economical of all the county squads. In 2009, their only expense submitted to the Mayo GAA Board was €3,250 for sportsgear. They spent no County Board money on catering, travelling or medical expenses.